UAE Blocks More Than 1,000 Illegal Websites

The United Arab Emirates blocked more than 1,000 websites this year for illegally streaming entertainment content owned by different media companies, the Ministry of Economy (MoE) said.

Dr. Abdulrahman Hassan Al Muaini, Assistant undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Rights Sector at the Ministry of Economy, said Thursday that most of these illegal websites were blocked during Ramadan when people demand more multimedia content.

"Since the implementation of the 'InstaBlock' initiative in the holy month of Ramadan, we have blocked a total of 1,117 websites that infringed upon intellectual property rights by illegally broadcasting entertainment content owned by various media networks," he said, according to Khaleej Times.

He pointed out that this year witnessed a significant increase in several illegal websites blocked in the UAE compared to the last year, as 2023 recorded only 62 websites blocked.

"This proves we have successfully developed a comprehensive approach that offers a specialized instant response service for receiving complaints related to copyright infringements on live online broadcasting. The 'InstaBlock' initiative will become a year-round program," Al Muaini added.

The assistant undersecretary said the ministry used many tools to block these websites, including "LiveBan," which helped to deal with complaints about copyright infringements in live online broadcasts.

He said that blocking illegal sites helps create a safe, secure, and attractive "environment for creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators, while also bolstering the UAE's position as a global hub for creativity and knowledge economy."

Last month, the UAE hosted GISEC Global 2024, where the world's biggest cybersecurity companies and international ethical hackers addressed the Artificial Intelligence (AI) related challenges under the theme of "AI-Driven Cyber Resilience."

The country in March launched "The National Campaign for Cybersecurity" for government, private institutions, and all members of society to create public awareness of cyber threats and prevent cyberattacks.

The campaign aims to prevent people from falling victim to cyberattacks, which involve using technology to trick internet users into revealing their personal information. This weekly campaign will last for an entire year.

Last year, the Middle Eastern country and Israel created a platform named Crystal Ball alongside other cyber leaders around the globe to fight against hackers and ransomware.