Batu69 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 If you get caught using a VPN in the UAE, you will face fines of up to $545,000 UAE has introduced a federal law banning the use of VPNs to try to avoid paying for expensive VOIP services. UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (right) has issued new federal laws banning the use of VPNs in the country. The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a series of new federal laws relating to IT crimes, including a regulation that forbids anyone in the UAE from making use of virtual private networks (VPN) to secure their web traffic from prying eyes. The new law states that anyone who uses a VPN or proxy server can be imprisoned and fined between Dh500,000-Dh2,000,000 ($136,000-$545,000, £415,000, €495,000) if they are found to use VPNs fraudently. Previously, the law was restricted to prosecuting people who used VPNs as part of an internet crime, but UK-based VPN and privacy advocate Private Internet Access says that the law has now changed to enable police in the UAE to go after anyone who uses VPNs to access blocked services, which is considered to be fraudulent use of an IP address. VPNs are services that allow users anywhere in the world to connect to a private network on the internet. These are useful for online privacy, as they hide the user's actual location. However, they can also be used to circumvent region restrictions on content – such as tricking Netflix US into thinking that foreign users are based in that country, or bypassing state censorship in China or Turkey to access services like Twitter and Facebook or even pornographic websites. VPNs are also often used in conjunction with the Tor anonymity network to access websites hidden on the Dark Web. The fight against free VoIP apps At the moment, a large number of people residing in the UAE utilise VPNs in order to access popular apps that are inaccessible from within the Gulf nation like WhatsApp, Snapchat and Viber, which are messaging and voice apps that make use of Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to deliver voice calls over the internet for free. VoIP "over-the-top" apps have long been a thorn in the sides of telecoms operators around the world, because consumers no longer need to pay international calling rates to speak to their loved ones – they can just speak to them on Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber or Snapchat. But the UAE is one of the first governments in the world to actually regulate on behalf of and for its telecoms companies in order to help them stem loss of revenue from VoIP apps. Etisalat and du are the only two companies in the world that have been granted licences by the UAE government to offer commercial VoIP services, which can be expensive, and rather than enable citizens and residents to have choice about what services they want to use, the government is assisting UAE's telecom providers in upholding a monopoly on voice calls made in the country. Although experts have criticised the UAE and Etisalat and du in the past for seeking to block the voice calling features in Snapchat, Skype and Whatsapp from working in the UAE, the UAE's telecoms regulator stands by the Etisalat and du, and also says that the apps should be banned due to security concerns. Article source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiliarou Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 Another stupid decision that will be bypassed (easily ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Togijak Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Google translation of a german Source The use of VPN and proxy connections to be clearly prohibited in the United Arab Emirates now by law. The underlying act is somewhat unclear, says The Register. The United Arab Emirates seem to have adopted a law that the use of VPN and proxy connections bans within the country. The reports of the British Register , citing Emirates 24/7 news . With an offense thus threatening imprisonment and fines equivalent to around 122,000 to 490,000 euros. interpretation unclear The wording of the law is the translation of the register somewhat ambiguous According, but leaves the VPN and proxy ban as a conclusion. Therefore systems should be prohibited, the disguise that Internal users commit or conceal a crime by the law to combat cyber crime. Network connections that run over VPN or proxy server, are indeed to be activities were, pass by the eye of the government. Under the new law, the systems would therefore also cover up a crime. Even those who claim to use the connection only for lawful purposes, it would difficult by encryption, to prove their own innocence. Many foreigners The new law could also be for international companies to the problem. In the United Arab Emirates only comparatively few locals live. An overwhelming majority of the population are foreigners, many of whom are likely to be dependent, to use corporate networks via VPN. ( Mho ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batu69 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 Thread moved from general news forum & merged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truemate Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 bullshit.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Togijak Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 1 hour ago, truemate said: bullshit.... any justification for the informative post? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Vega Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 On 7/28/2016 at 0:37 AM, Batu69 said: and also says that the apps should be banned due to security concerns. who's security? this is such bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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