Dubai Police monitoring social networking sites

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are subject to round-the-clock monitoring by dedicated teams in Dubai and other emirates, according to Major Salem Obaid Salmeen, deputy director of anti-electronic crimes of Dubai Police’s CID.

“These electronic patrols are detecting and tracking all topics and materials written and presented on these websites,” he said.

He said monitoring of these websites are not considered as a violation of the public’s freedoms as these sites are public places in the virtual world.

“Anything violation of the law at these web sites will be considered as abuse and will be punishable as in the real world,” he said.

This statement came on the programme ‘Rouh Al Qanoon’ (Spirit of the Law’) presented by lawyer Essa bin Haider on Radio Noor Dubai.

Major Salem said Dubai police started tracking these websites after it notice abuse and defamation at these sites.

Colonel Mohammed Rashid Al Muhairi, director of tourism security at Dubai Police, said “any person who is subjected to abuse, insult or defamation on social networking sites can complain to any police station.”

He added that they can also file a complaint directly to the Department of Anti-Electronic Crimes of Dubai CID, which will take legal action against those running these sites after verifying the validity and seriousness of the complaint.