Court fines UAE influencer Dh81,000 for defaming restaurant online

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Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi court has sentenced a female social media influencer to pay a total of Dh81,000 after releasing a video defaming a popular restaurant and its owner, according to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. The court ruled that the content blurred the line between legitimate consumer feedback and unlawful personal assaults.

The influencer filmed the restaurant and posted the footage on her personal social media account, bringing into question the owner's morality and business procedures. The restaurant owner filed a complaint, saying that the video had a substantial impact on both his personal and economic reputation. During the investigation, the influencer confirmed shooting and publishing the video, but claimed it was intended as criticism.

However, investigators found that the video included direct insults targeting people rather than an objective review of the restaurant's services. The court issued a Dh30,000 criminal fine, ordered the removal of the video, and seized the mobile phone used to make and broadcast the content. It also granted the applicant Dh51,000 in temporary civil compensation, increasing the total pecuniary punishment to Dh81,000.

According to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the verdict emphasises that, while customers have the right to express their opinions about products and services, UAE law does not protect posts that insult or defame an individual's character. Authorities have cautioned that social media users may face criminal and civil penalties if their online post harms the reputations of others.