UAE court has fined Dh20,000 to a studio owner in compensation for breaching a woman’s privacy by sharing photos and videos on social media without permission.
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court issued the verdict on October 16, emphasizing that online privacy violations remain a serious offence under the country’s strict cybercrime laws.
Court records show that the woman filed a civil claim after discovering her photos and video clips were circulated online by the accused, causing her emotional distress and reputational harm.
Earlier, a criminal court had found the man guilty of breaching privacy under UAE’s cybercrime legislation. The conviction was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in March this year, becoming final when no further appeal was lodged.
In its ruling, the civil court noted that the man’s actions constituted a clear infringement of privacy, resulting in moral and psychological suffering for the plaintiff. However, it said the compensation awarded was “proportionate to the degree of harm” proven in the case.
The UAE maintains some of the region’s toughest laws protecting digital privacy. Authorities continue to warn residents that sharing another person’s photo or video online without consent could lead to heavy fines, imprisonment, or both.
