UAE’s New Media Law Overview: What Media Companies and Influencers Need to Know

The UAE’s new media law introduces a unified regulatory framework with fines of up to AED 2 million, dual licensing for influencers, and AI-driven content monitoring. It signals a decisive move to tighten oversight, align media with national values, and formalize accountability across all digital and traditional platforms.

On May 29, 2025, the United Arab Emirates ushered in one of the most far-reaching overhauls of its media regulatory framework in decades. Enacted under Federal Decree-Law No. 55 of 2023, and further detailed by Cabinet Resolution No. 42 of 2025 (hereinafter, Cabinet Resolution), the UAE new media law seeks to align traditional, digital, and influencer-based media activities with national values, promoting social cohesion and strengthening content accountability across all channels.

Violations may result in fines of up to AED 1 million (about US$272,000), which can double to AED 2 million (US$544,588) for repeat infractions. Additional penalties also include license suspensions, mandatory content removal, or even permanent closure of the media outlet or platform involved.

This article provides a deep dive into the UAE’s new media law structure, scope, penalties, areas of ambiguity, and implications for professionals, content creators, and foreign entities.

The architecture and scope of the UAE’s new media law

The UAE’s new media law replaces earlier print-and cinema-centric regulations and expands oversight to all media forms, covering broadcast, digital, social media, apps, influencers, artistic content, and foreign correspondents.

The UAE Media Council is designated as the central regulator, empowered to issue licenses, enforce standards, edit or remove noncompliant content, and penalize infractions. This centralization of authority reflects the UAE’s broader regulatory trend of consolidating oversight under specialized national councils. In practice, this means that instead of a patchwork of emirate-level guidelines, companies now face a unified national framework, theoretically reducing ambiguity but also concentrating power in a single authority.

Who must comply?

The law covers a broad range of actors, including:

• Licensed media outlets (TV, radio, print);
• Digital platforms and content creators;
• Social media influencers earning revenue from content or advertising;
• Foreign correspondents and media offices operating in the UAE; and
• Event organizers, film exhibitors, gaming platforms, and print/publishing houses engaging in content distribution.

Notably, the scope is extra-territorial in nature: even foreign media agencies and global platforms may fall within the law’s reach if their content is accessible within the UAE. This echoes frameworks such as the EU’s Digital Services Act, which also extends obligations to non-EU platforms targeting EU audiences. For multinational firms, this raises compliance burdens and necessitates internal harmonization of editorial practices across regions.

Core content rules

Operators must adhere to 20 binding content standards laid out in the Cabinet Resolution. Offenses include, among others:

• Insulting religion, divine essence, or faiths (highest penalty category);
• Disrespect toward ruling systems, national symbols, or institutions;
• Publishing false or misleading information, content inciting crime, or harmful social ideas; and
• Violations of public morality, privacy infringement, and content promoting instability or undermining national unity.

Penalties, enforcement, and tiers

Fines and escalation

The baseline fine for major content violations is up to AED 1 million (U$270,000) for a first offense, which may double to AED 2 million (US$544,588) for repeat infractions.

Additional penalties may include the suspension of operations (up to six months) or permanent closure. Moreover, fines for lesser breaches are delineated as follows:

• Operating media activities without a license: AED 10,000 (US$2,722.94), escalating to AED 40,000 (US$10,891.76) for repeated violations;
• Failure to renew a license: AED 40.84 per day (capped at AED 3,000, or US$816.88);
• Transferring a license or changing partners without approval: Up to AED 20,000 (US$5,445.88 );
• Content violations (such as misinformation): AED 5,000 (US$1,361.47) for first offense; AED 10,000 (US$2,722.94) for repeat.

Amplifying factors

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Penalties escalate based on the nature and frequency of the violation. Offenses targeting religion or state interests carry disproportionately higher fines. The UAE’s new media law explicitly ranks religious violations as the gravest, followed by state/national interest violations and then other content breaches.

Unlike in some Western jurisdictions where penalties are capped per day or per violation, the UAE law allows regulators discretion to escalate fines based on “severity” and “impact on society.” This flexible but subjective standard could create unpredictability for businesses, emphasizing the importance of conservative editorial policies.

Major changes and standout provisions

Dual licensing requirement for influencers

Content creators monetizing activity must now obtain a business license first, then apply for a media license from the UAE Media Council. Influencers are no longer exempt due to their visibility.

Artificial intelligence oversight

The law contemplates an AI-powered content review system to flag misinformation or prohibited content before publication.

If implemented effectively, this could position the UAE as one of the first jurisdictions globally to embed AI into pre-publication regulatory compliance. However, concerns remain over accuracy, algorithmic bias, and the potential chilling effect of automated censorship.

Content pre-approval and carve-outs

Certain content, like religious scripts or filming in restricted zones, may need prior approval or permit. Practicing unlicensed media activities (e.g. publishing, social media advertising, film screening) carries specific fines.

Implications for media actors and compliance challenges

Content strategy and risk assessment

Media organizations must rigorously screen content before release, ensuring it steers clear of insulting religion, defamation, misinformation, or disrespect to national institutions. Internal standards and workflows must adapt to the new grading of risk.

Licensing and operational restructuring

Entities must map all their content activities (broadcast, digital, influencer, event) against the licensing scheme. Failure to hold valid licenses, even for minor or incidental activity, exposes them to fines. This is particularly relevant for multi-platform content firms and ad agencies.

Cross border, foreign correspondence, and diaspora media

Foreign journalists and media houses operating in the UAE must comply with licenses and content rules. Non-UAE based content targeting UAE audiences may also fall into scope under local jurisdiction clauses.

Chilling effect on speech and self-censorship

With religion and national values prioritized, some content creators may self-censor to avoid risk, stunting editorial boldness. The alignment between media regulation and broader censorship laws is likely to influence the boundaries of permissible discourse.

Enforcement and appeal

While the Media Council can suspend or rescind licenses, appeals and due process pathways should exist. However, the pace and transparency of enforcement, especially on social media, real-time streaming, or AI-generated content, pose challenges.

Strategic takeaways

The enactment of the UAE’s new media law marks a pivotal shift in the country’s content governance landscape, demanding heightened vigilance from all media entities, influencers, and digital platforms. Organizations operating in or targeting UAE audiences should take immediate steps to strengthen compliance mechanisms and anticipate evolving enforcement practices:

• Prioritize compliance: Immediately audit all media operations and content lines for risk exposure (religion, state, misinformation).
• Obtain licenses proactively: Incentives such as fee waivers should not delay licensing steps.
• Invest in editorial safeguards: Fact-checking, religious sensibilities, cultural review, and legal vetting become mandatory.
• Prepare contingency for takedowns: Monitor social sentiment, have content removals workflows, and maintain dialogue with regulators.
• Monitor enforcement trends: Early cases will define precedents—follow them carefully.
• Be mindful of cross-border risk: Global platforms, diaspora media, or content creators outside the UAE may be impacted if content is accessible to UAE audiences.

All in all, the UAE’s new media law is far from a “game-changer” in the sense of wholly reinventing media regulation, but it is a game enhancer, shifting the operational baseline upward and formalizing oversight across digital, influencer, and broadcast domains.

The combination of high fines, AI-driven monitoring, and dual licensing for influencers marks a watershed in how Gulf states regulate digital ecosystems. While critics warn of overreach, the law underscores the UAE’s intention to balance rapid digital growth with cultural safeguards and accountability.

For media companies, brands, and content creators operating in or into the UAE, the time to act is now. Licensing compliance, enhanced editorial governance, and proactive legal alignment are essential to remain viable.

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