A UAE court has ordered a major international search engine company to remove an offensive video targeting a woman living in the country, reinforcing legal protections for privacy and human dignity in the digital space.
The ruling establishes that global technology firms operating through local subsidiaries must comply with UAE court decisions, even if their core infrastructure and management are based overseas.
How the Case Unfolded
The dispute began when a video containing offensive material about the woman appeared on an international online platform.
After she filed a formal complaint, authorities identified the individual responsible and initiated legal action. Although prosecutors held the offender accountable, the video remained accessible online, prolonging the harm.
The woman later contacted one of the world’s leading search engine companies and formally requested the removal of the content. When she received no response, she filed a lawsuit. The court notified the company in its capacity as the entity managing platform-related activities within the UAE.
During the proceedings, the company argued that it did not directly own the hosting platform and therefore should not be responsible.
Court Affirms Local Accountability
After litigation at two levels, the court ruled that the UAE-based affiliate of the global technology firm is legally obligated to implement judicial decisions issued within the country.
The court ordered the removal of the video. An appellate court upheld the ruling. Following the final judgment, the company deleted the content.
The decision marks a significant precedent by clarifying that local legal presence carries enforceable obligations, regardless of where servers or corporate headquarters are located.
Protecting Human Dignity Online
Digital law researcher Dr. Ammar Al Asbahi said the judgment reflects the judiciary’s expanding role in safeguarding human dignity in the digital era.
He explained that prosecuting the individual responsible addressed only part of the harm. The continued circulation of the video constituted an ongoing violation that required judicial intervention.
The court treated the issue not as a technical dispute but as a matter affecting personal dignity. It concluded that any company with a registered legal entity in the UAE must execute court orders, even if operational control lies abroad.
The Rise of the Right to Digital Forgetting
Dr. Al Asbahi also pointed to the growing relevance of the “right to digital forgetting,” a concept that allows individuals to request the removal of outdated, irrelevant, or privacy-infringing information from search results.
He noted that the digital ecosystem now stores an estimated 100 million zettabytes of data, creating a near-permanent record of past actions and statements. Unlike human memory, online archives do not fade with time.
Balancing the right to digital erasure against freedom of expression depends on factors such as the length of time elapsed and whether the individual is a public figure or a private citizen.
Legal Safeguards Under UAE Law
Article 15 of the UAE Personal Data Protection Law grants individuals the right to request correction or deletion of personal data. Authorities may approve such requests if the purpose for processing no longer exists, consent has been withdrawn, or the processing violates legal standards.
However, the law outlines exceptions, including matters involving public health, ongoing investigations, legal claims, or other statutory obligations.
Search engines often assess deletion requests first. If a request is denied, courts remain the final authority, tasked with balancing privacy rights against public interest and freedom of expression.
Source: Gulf News
