Despite the fact that the social media such as Facebook, twitter, youtube and Instagram are highly used in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the media environment is tightly controlled. Users who use the internet to publish information should be fully aware of the publication and publishing laws of the 1980 which lists 16 types of information that should not be published on any type of media wether …show more content…
"Last year eight cases were filed against Gulf News and most of them were about misunderstandings and some should not have gone to court from the beginning."
Self censorship was made because of a fuzzy policy and the multi-faceted restriction isn't forced by the legislature only but by individuals and foundations with religious convictions or social extreme. As self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own discussion. Its not correct that English language papers appreciate more freedom. Laws and requests are the same, it's only about picking a diverse point of news which suits foreign readers. This different point may give an impact that the English language press has more freedom.
However self censorship is increasing in the UAE as Sami Al Riyami, Editor-in-Chief of Al Emarat Al Youm, said: "Unfortunately, self-censorship is increasing in the press and is affecting press freedom to a certain extent. He also added that: "One of the main factors affecting press freedom is advertising domination. Eventually press freedom is affected when advertisers monitor the flow of their news in media outlets, especially in the press. Another factor is when newspapers' reporters practise self-censorship on their own work more than when government officials monitor the …show more content…
As last year in February the man, who's acknowledged as the 'Poet of Sensations', was sentenced to three months in prison and fined Dh250,000 by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of First instance after he was caught of being guilty of violating the cybercrime regulation and violating public order and integrity. Official court records said that the poet had published a poem, that's contrary to the UAE's social beliefs, morals and religion on social media. The UAE Cybercrime Law No. 5 of 2012, stipulates consequences like prison terms that could move up to a life sentence and/or a fine ranging between Dh50,000 and Dh3 million relying on the strictness and seriousness of the