Is VPN Banned in UAE? Rules, Fines, What You Need to Know – News

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Question: Can you explain the rules for using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) in the UAE? Are they legal? If so, is there a list of VPNs to use?

Answer: In the UAE, the use of VPNs cannot be considered illegal if used in accordance with the guidelines of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). The TDRA stated on July 31, 2016, assuring businesses and the public that it is fully committed to the security and smooth flow of business for companies and institutions based in the UAE, emphasizing that there is no law that prevents companies, institutions and banks from using VPN technology to access their internal networks via the internet. However, users can be held accountable if it is misused.

However, actions such as bypassing the information network to commit a crime using techniques to hide or mask the real IP address, such as using someone else’s IP address, in order to commit illegal activities or avoid detection, are considered a serious crime under the law, and those found guilty can be punished with imprisonment and/or significant financial penalties. This is in line with Article 10 of Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumors and Cybercrimes, which states that “Anyone who deceives the network protocol address of a computer by using an address belonging to a third party or by other means in order to commit a crime or prevent its detection shall be punished with imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh500,000 and not exceeding Dh2,000,000 or one of these two penalties.”

Further, Clause 1.9 of the TDRA Regulatory Policy on Internet Access Management, 2017 defines the term “Prohibited Content Categories” and the same has been specifically described in Annex 1 of the TDRA Internet Access Regulations from time to time. The said Annex 1 of the TDRA Internet Access Regulations enumerates various lists of internet content that is prohibited in the UAE.

“Clause 1

Bypassing and accessing blocked content:

This category covers Internet content that allows or assists users in accessing prohibited content, including proxy servers and virtual private network (VPN) services that primarily allow access to prohibited content on the Internet.

“Clause 14

Illegal communication services: