Can I use a VPN in the United Arab Emirates?

In 2016, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, signed new amendments to the UAE's law in the fight against cybercrime.

One of the consequences of the new federal law No. 12/2016, replacing the old law No. 5/2012, became almost complete ban on the use of VPN technology (Virtual Private Network) and proxy servers in the UAE, which allow Internet users to hide their network activity from regulatory authorities.

It is worth noting that the effect of the new amendments applies not only to citizens and residents of the UAE, but also to tourists. They, like everyone else, face a penalty not only in the form of a fine of 50,000 to 2 million UAE dirhams (from 14 to 550 thousand US dollars), but even in the form of imprisonment.

Despite the fact that VPNs and proxies are often used for absolutely legal purposes, in the United Arab Emirates the line between “legal” and “illegal” is very thin and vague. The fact is that, it would seem, the absolutely harmless use of VPN technology to make a personal call via Skype or Whatsapp to relatives or friends is completely illegal from the point of view of the UAE legislation.

The thing is that the United Arab Emirates banned such popular VoIP services in the world as Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook Messenger and others. And the use of any technology, including VPN, to circumvent this ban is illegal!

Recall that as of January 2018, only two VoIP services are legal in the UAE - BOTIM and C'Me, for which Etisalat and du operators charge an additional monthly fee of 50 to 100 UAE dirhams per month.

What is a VPN?

Most often, explaining in simple terms the essence of VPN technology (Virtual Private Network, virtual private network), specialists use a comparison with a tunnel or with a network of tunnels. The entrance to the tunnel is on the user's computer, and the exit is on the server on which the website he needs is stored. At the same time, possible outside observers, among which may be hackers, competitors, intelligence agents, do not know where the exit from the tunnel is and what is happening inside it. And since they do not know, they cannot intercept the information transmitted through this tunnel, and they cannot prohibit or prevent the achievement of the desired goal (the desired site or server). That is why VPN technology is often used when they want to access blocked Internet resources.

So is it possible to use a connection through a VPN in the UAE?

Despite the apparent complexity, in fact, everything is very simple - if a VPN is used to violate or circumvent the UAE legislation - it is illegal. Thus, it is enough to know what content and which sites are prohibited in the UAE:

  1. Internet content that contradicts the moral and ethical standards established in the UAE, including nude images and dating services.
  2. Internet content containing materials inciting sectarian hatred.
  3. Internet content that violates UAE law.
  4. Internet content that directly or indirectly poses a risk to Internet users in the UAE, such as sites created for phishing or containing hacking tools.
  5. Online gambling content.
  6. Internet sites that disseminate information on the illegal purchase, manufacture, promotion and use of narcotic drugs.
  7. Internet services that allow or help users gain access to content blocked in the UAE.

Based on this list, we can draw simple and logical conclusions:

  • Using a VPN in the UAE to access sites prohibited in the UAE is NOT possible (see paragraphs 1-6).
  • Using a VPN in the UAE for voice calls over the Internet (VoIP) is NOT possible (see paragraph 4).
  • Using a VPN in the UAE to protect corporate data and correspondence - CAN!

Watch the video: Using the VPN legal or illegal in Dubai UAE (March 2024).