Authorities in Abu Dhabi are calling on all licensed economic establishments in the emirate to comply with guidelines related to partnerships with social media influencers. Failure to do so will expose violators to closure or fines starting from Dh3,000 and going up to Dh10,000, according to the Department of Economic Development (ADDED).
In a circular today, it listed three areas of compliance for relevant economic establishments to adhere to, as below:
- Social media influencers must obtain a licence from the department before advertising services through websites
- Economic establishments must obtain a permit from ADDED when carrying out any advertising activity (advertisements, marketing, or other promotional activity)
- Economic establishments must ensure that they have a valid licence issued by ADDED when contracting with influencers and social networking sites
In 2018, the National Media Council issued rules stating that social media influencers must register and get a licence in order to operate.