Sheikh Mohammed issues social media guidelines for Emiratis

UAE vice president and prime minister, and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has urged Emiratis to adhere to the moral legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan when using social media platforms.

In a Twitter post, Sheikh Mohammed shared 10 points on the conduct that should be followed by Emiratis on social media.

According to Sheikh Mohammed among the positive characteristics of Emirati social media users include “helping others by sharing information, ideas, social and human initiatives that enrich the country.”

He also said that an Emirati online user are those that use “logic and reasoning in a conversation.”

Sheikh Mohammed also noted that Emirati social media users should have a “confident personality that accepts differences and builds bridges with other people.”

Earlier last month, the Dubai ruler posted an open letter to government officials and residents where he addressed the dangers of misusing social media.

In the letter, titled, “The Letter of the New Season” that was released on his official Twitter account, Sheikh Mohammed warned residents against spreading misinformation with the sole intention of gaining followers online.

“Messing around and stirring up chaos on social media waste achievements for which thousands of teams worked so hard to realise. The reputation of the UAE is a red line and not to be used by anyone who wants to get more followers,” he said in the letter.

“We have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which is concerned with managing our external affairs, speaking on our behalf and expressing our positions in relation to the UAE’s foreign policy. Amongst its core functions is also to maintain the country’s credibility with the countries and peoples of the world and its reputation built over the past 48 years.

“We will not allow a group of Twitter users to mess with Zayed’s legacy of credibility, love and respect for people. The good image of the UAE and the Emirati must remain as bright as Zayed wanted and built,” he said.

Here’s the full list of guidelines on the attitude Emiratis must adhere to when using social media:

1. A personality that represent Sheikh Zayed, the UAE’s founding father, and his principles when interacting with others.
2. A personality that reflects the knowledge, culture and the level and sophistication of civilisation achieved by UAE.
3. A personality that does not use insults, foul language or any other word that’s indecent.
4. A personality that used logic and reasoning in a conversation.
5. A personality that appreciates a good word, a beautiful picture and interacts with positive thoughts, cultures and societies.
6. A personality that helps others by sharing information, ideas, social and human initiatives that enrich the country.
7. A personality that gets involved with his/her international surroundings, speaks its language, deals with its issues and positively interacts with its future.
8. A confident personality that accepts differences and builds bridges with other people.
9. A personality that reflects the humble nature and love of Emiratis, and the love and openness towards others.
10. A personality that adores its nation, is always proud of it, and would sacrifice for it.