What others consider as harmless “small talk” or gossip, especially at work, is something that residents in the UAE, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), should be mindful of and avoid doing, as much as they can.
Under the UAE law, such act is considered illegal and deemed punishable by authorities. Furthermore, with the advancement in technology, the law also takes into consideration the scope of what is considered electronic crimes.
Disclosing Secrets or Private Information Can Get You in Trouble w/ the Law
Emirati lawyer Eissa Bin Haider shared that that the UAE’s Cybercrime Law clearly states that disclosure or sharing of personal details regarding an individual’s private or family life is prohibited when done without permission, even if the said details were true.
Violation of this law, according to Attorney Eissa Bin Haider, include imprisonment for a period of not less than six months and a fine of not less than AED 150,000 up to AED 500,000, or one of the two penalties.
The UAE has been known to hold such strict observance of the law when it comes to the protection of privacy and personal information among its citizens. This is the reason why expats, including overseas Filipino workers, must be mindful of the way they behave in the country, especially since they are dealing with foreign nationals from other countries, and may not always come into agreement in terms of one’s beliefs or practices.
However, owing to the mandate of the UAE government to recognize 2019 as the Year of Tolerance, citizens are encouraged to respect living with others, especially now that there is an existing law that supports this practice.
Furthermore, if you have been on the receiving end of this kind of violation, you can report such cases to authorities through the e-crime platform offered by the government of Dubai, if you happen to be one of its residents.