ISLAMABAD – A routine WhatsApp group that once served only for school updates, family plans, or friendly discussions is now under a new kind of scrutiny as a forwarded video, a forwarded news update, or a quick opinion shared in a group can carry unexpected consequences.
Residents in UAE using WhatsApp for daily communication, whether for personal or work, are being urgently warned that no chat is truly private under the law. Legal experts say even casual forwarding of messages can trigger serious criminal liability under the country’s cybercrime legislation.
Lawyers caution that a widespread misunderstanding is putting users at risk, many assume private group chats are safe zones. In reality, authorities treat WhatsApp messages as legally accountable publications. This means a single tap on the “forward” button can potentially escalate into a legal offence.
Users frequently cross legal boundaries without realizing it, officials said and sharing misleading or offensive content, circulating unverified news or distributing private screenshots and conversations without consent can all lead to prosecution. Even tagging or naming individuals in damaging posts can result in legal consequences if reputations are harmed.
Emirati courts already prosecuted cases based entirely on WhatsApp communications. He stressed that “private” messaging offers no immunity, and penalties under cybercrime laws can be extremely severe, ranging from hefty fines of approximately Dh250,000 to Dh500,000 or more, alongside possible imprisonment depending on the severity of the offence.
Authorities have already taken strong action this year. In March, 25 individuals were arrested and placed under expedited trials for circulating digital content deemed misleading and threatening to national security. Officials described the material as dangerous misinformation spread through online platforms, including messaging apps.
Legal experts highlight critical legal twist, forwarding a message is not treated as a passive action. Under Article 52 of the UAE Cybercrime Law, anyone who circulates, republishes, or shares unlawful content can be held equally responsible as the original creator. This means resharing a video, comment, or news update can still trigger criminal charges if the content is false, defamatory, or illegal.
Even individuals who did not create the content have faced charges, particularly in cases involving defamation, false information, or privacy breaches.
Group administrators are also under scrutiny. While they are not legally required to monitor every message, they may still be held responsible if they allow illegal content to remain in circulation after becoming aware of it. Under Article 53, failure to act, such as not deleting harmful content or not removing offending users, can create legal exposure.
Experts advise admins to act quickly when problematic messages appear: delete them immediately, warn or remove the responsible user, and avoid engaging with or amplifying the content.
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