UAE cops shut social network accounts
Fifteen facebook and Twitter accounts have been shut down by cops in Dubai this year for containing abusive and threatening posts.
Major Saeed Al Hajeri, head of the Electronic Crimes Department at Dubai Police, said: “We are not monitoring people on social networks but our electronic police patrols surf various websites to protect UAE citizens and residents against electronic crimes, which have increased worldwide recently.”
He said facebook and Twitter had agreed to Dubai Police’s request to shut three accounts last week.
-
The Twitter and facebook accounts were shut down for containing abusive or threatening material, police said
The force had sent letters to the management of the social networking sites that included evidence account holders had committed acts violating UAE laws, including personal insults.
“Many people think they cannot get into trouble for doing such things on the internet but they can be punished under UAE law,” he said.
He continued: “We respect people’s privacy and do not track their life on social networks.
“We only take action when someone makes a complaint. “One major case involved hackers who broke into girls’ accounts and emails and downloaded their pictures.
“They then used them to blackmail them for money or sexual favours.”
ali.shouk@7days.ae
Comments
by Randall Mohammed
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 7:48AM
“Ageed we all need to be protected against cyber crimes, especially when persons attempt to black mail or issue threats. Crimes could be planned using the internet and this requires action by the authorities”
by Amrita Jawahar
Monday, May 21 2012, 12:30PM
“A very wise decision thought privacy is important but cyber crime & cyber abuse has increased at such a extent it was high time the authorities intervened. Now reading this people should be aware that UAE also have cyber laws & they should watch what the write especially on social networks. If u might have watched the movie Social Network that also shows how these networks are transparent when u think what u write is only know to ur frnds but it is known to every1
Just an advice to every please refrain from making objectionable comments based on anything to stay out of trouble”
by gail.westley
Monday, May 21 2012, 11:20AM
“I totally agree with this. It's becoming more and more common, people threatening people via these social networks, it needs to be stopped. Bullies who think they can hide behind twitter profiles or fake facebook profiles, and use them to hassle other people, this kind of bullying has been known to cause suicsides. Once they know there is a price to pay for what they are doing, hopefully it will stop, or at least reduce dramatically.”
by Roysten
Monday, May 21 2012, 10:32AM
“Ohh so we have to be careful of what comment.”