Abu Dhabi Court Fines Influencer AED 81,000 for Defaming Restaurant on Social Media

ABU DHABI: An Abu Dhabi court has imposed a total penalty of AED 81,000 on a female social media influencer after finding her guilty of publishing defamatory and insulting content against a restaurant, in a case highlighting the legal consequences of online misconduct in the United Arab Emirates.

According to reports, the influencer visited a well-known restaurant in Abu Dhabi and recorded a video using her smartphone. Authorities said the video went beyond a constructive review of the food or service and instead contained insulting remarks targeting the restaurant’s owner and management, allegedly damaging their personal and business reputation.

The restaurant owner filed a formal complaint, arguing that the video exceeded the limits of fair criticism and caused significant reputational and financial harm to the business.

During the investigation, the influencer admitted that she had recorded and uploaded the video to her personal social media account. She claimed it was intended as constructive criticism, but investigators concluded that the language used in the video amounted to defamation and personal insults rather than an objective review.

Following the trial, the court imposed a criminal fine of AED 30,000 for defamation, ordered the confiscation of the smartphone used to record the video, and directed that the controversial video be permanently removed from social media platforms.

In addition to the criminal penalty, the court ordered the influencer to pay AED 51,000 in compensation to the restaurant owner, bringing the total financial penalty to AED 81,000.

The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department also released a public awareness video titled “A Short Video, An Expensive Price” to educate residents about the legal boundaries between freedom of expression and unlawful damage to another person’s or business’s reputation. The campaign emphasizes that social media users should exercise responsibility and avoid publishing content that defames or humiliates others.