Written by cmlabs | Last updated at Jun 13, 2024
NO. 00287/PP/CID/VI/2024
Gulf English is the English variation developing in the UAE. Although its unique qualities are still little understood, everyone recognises its importance as the common language in a highly multilingual society. One of the language features you can find in Gulf English is borrowing Arabic words for English sentences, such as Souk, Alhamdulillah, etc.
In addition, there are also grammatical features of Gulf English according to Boyle (2011, in Siemund, et.al, 2020), such as:
The Emiratis are mostly Muslims, even though there are other religions like Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In the UAE, social class is well-defined. The first gap exists between Emirati nationals and immigrants referred to as "incomers."
Politically and socially, the reigning Sheikh families occupy the top echelons of society. They are incredibly powerful and wealthy.
Despite the patriarchal society that has historically underpinned Emirati culture, the UAE supports gender equality and upholds equal rights for all sexes. Women are granted equal legal standing, job and educational opportunities, title claims, and the ability to inherit property.
Thus, if you plan to write personalised content about the UAE, it is advisable to adhere to the social values in this country.
The UAE adheres to Islamic and Sharia laws. Therefore, the gender norms are strictly defined. Men ought to be considerate and respectful to women. In a business context, men usually do not shake hands with women colleagues.
Moreover, people in the UAE must dress modestly. Even though the UAE is more liberal than some other nations in the region, modest clothing is nevertheless required in public, especially in more traditional areas.
Also, the visitors must respect all religions and cultures by not recording or taking pictures of cultural or religious practices without permission, and women without permission.
Furthermore, some aspects that must be considered to avoid becoming disrespectful in the UAE are men should not stare at women for long periods and compliment them, it is improper for non-Muslims to touch a Qur'an or visit a mosque, avoid swearing in public, avoid showing affection (kissing, hugging the opposite sex) in public, avoid showing the soles of your feet, and avoid using the left hand for most of the activities.
Yet, for writing, there are some cultural sensitivities you should pay attention to in writing for UAE, including you must avoid criticising the government and the royal family. In addition, do not commit religious blasphemy or make any comments on religions in the UAE, especially Islam.
Actions involving those sensitivities, including writing output, can be seen as content of public order violations and offences against the UAE and/or racism, discrimination, and disregard for religion (see below for explanations).
Based on the guide issued by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, there are 19 kinds of prohibited content on the Internet, such as:
This category covers online material that permits or facilitates users' access to content that is forbidden, such as proxy servers and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which primarily provide access to content that is restricted on the internet.
Pornography and nudity include graphic and nude material; anything on the internet that encourages or makes it easier to post or trade child pornography; content that calls for the acceptance or promotion of harmful ideas like homosexuality, or that inspires, encourages, supports, or publishes views that entail everything from youth corruption to aggressiveness against public decency; and many more.
Fraud, impersonation, and phishing include material from the internet used in fraud, theft, embezzlement, and deception schemes; content that gathers, publishes, or grants access to others for bank statements, accounts, data, credit card numbers, electronic card numbers, or any other type of electronic payment method, including content that gathers, publishes, or grants access to names, secret numbers, or access codes for websites or other information technology tools; and many more.
Internet information that contains offensive, slanderous, and defamatory statements.
Invasion of privacy includes online material containing devices for listening in on people's calls, spying, stealing or disclosing personal information, monitoring, recording, or illegally intercepting conversations or communications; information on the internet about medical records, diagnosis, treatment, and exams; and many more.
Public order violations and offences against the UAE include anything that appears on the internet with the intent to make fun of or damage the standing, reputation, or status of the UAE, the institutions, the president, the rulers of its emirates, their crown princes, deputy rulers, the flag of the UAE, the national anthem, or the emblems; internet material that encourages or demands breaking the relevant laws and rules, and many more.
Internet content that incites, encourages, calls for, or offers instructions on how to commit crimes or felonies, or that helps carry out or support the commission of crimes such as rape, blackmail, robbery, theft, fraud, forgery, faking, bribery, killing, suicide, blackmail, rape, commercial cheating, violating someone else's property, abduction, dodging legal action, money laundering, smuggling content that is prohibited, and other crimes that are punishable by law.
Internet information that encourages or helps with the trade in narcotics and mind-altering substances, as well as the methods for producing, getting, and using drugs under illegal conditions.
Pharmaceutical and medical activities that break the law include internet content by physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers which is illegal under applicable legislation; internet material that, in contrast to cabinet resolutions on the subject, contains health ads; online material is used to trade or market prescription drugs that are issued without a doctor's prescription and to provide them without one; and many more.
Intellectual property rights violations include internet material that violates intellectual property rights, including the provision and publication of electronic programs and games, movies, photographs, drawings, books, encrypted TV and radio channels, and other works of intellectual property; and many more.
Racism, discrimination, and disregard for religion include internet content that insults, denigrates, ridicules, offends, or violates any religion or its rituals, sanctities, or holy texts; or that interferes with the right of individuals to freely exercise their faith by using violence or threats; content that encourages or contains statements encouraging apostasy and departing from Islam or encouraging conversion to a different faith; and many more.
Adware and malevolent software include content on the Internet that encourages, supports, or helps create, publish, distribute, and develop malicious programs and viruses, hacking, and piracy programs; additionally, websites that incite, promote, or publish information about how to hack networks, information technology devices, or communications, or to gain unauthorised access to them, or to disrupt them; and many more.
The content includes websites that advertise, deal, trade, or facilitate the sale of goods that are illegal in the United Arab Emirates under current legislation, or that are restricted goods that need a license from the relevant authorities and cannot be sold or distributed without that permission. Examples of such websites include but are not limited to, the following:
Internet material that, per a rule or judgment made by the appropriate authorities, encourages or permits access to unlawful communication services falls under this category.
Internet content promoting gambling and associated activities like lotteries and betting falls under this category. It also covers content about electronic gaming.
Terrorism content includes any content on the internet that is associated with terrorist organisations, associations, organisations, or bodies; internet information that promotes, incites, or permits criminal activity against the United Arab Emirates, one of its nationals, workers, or interests, or against public finances or facilities overseas, such as embassies, consulates, missions, or affiliate offices; and many more.
Regardless of whether the content of the website is under UAE law, this category contains top-level domains that are registered online for illegal reasons. .xxx top-level domains, for example, are used for pornographic content.
Other than what is specified in the other categories, this category contains online content that is primarily utilised to carry out illegal crimes in the United Arab Emirates, such as encouraging or advocating for the unlicensed gathering of contributions, promoting investment funds or portfolios and engaging in stock, currency, and commodities trading without first getting a license from the appropriate authorities following applicable legislation; and many more
Internet content that is prohibited under UAE legislation or by an order from a municipal or federal court, public prosecution, or any combination of these regarding criminal, civil, commercial, legal, or other situations, falls under this category.
For more information about prohibited content in the UAE, please refer to the guide issued by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority.