United Arab Emirates: Privacy

Dubai's 2026 legal reforms introduce sweeping changes across employment, healthcare, housing, and digital safety. From new social media age restrictions to stricter building maintenance standards and revised banking communication protocols, these developments reshape how residents, businesses, and institutions operate. Understanding these nine major legal changes is essential for compliance and avoiding penalties in the emirate's evolving regulatory landscape.

Artificial intelligence is changing how legal work gets done. Here is what every legal professional needs to understand, and what the profession cannot afford to get wrong.

Can you legally record a phone call in the UAE without the other party's knowledge, and if you do, will that recording be admissible as evidence in court? This analysis examines the UAE Penal Code's consent requirements, the scope of Federal Decree-Law No. 35 of 2022 on Evidence, and the practical litigation risks that arise when recordings are obtained without explicit permission.

Can you legally record a phone call in the UAE without the other party's knowledge, and if you do, will that recording be admissible as evidence in court? This analysis examines the UAE Penal Code's consent requirements, the scope of Federal Decree-Law No. 35 of 2022 on Evidence, and the practical litigation risks that arise when recordings are obtained without explicit permission.

WhatsApp is part of daily life in the UAE. People use it for business, family discussions, tenancy issues, employment matters, school groups, and even disputes.

The United Arab Emirates has established one of the world's most comprehensive legal frameworks to address digital misconduct, with Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 serving as the cornerstone of its cybercrime regulation.