ID cards to be used for internet usage

Don't go online without it...

With online fraud and cyber crime an increasing concern around the world, the UAE's Ministry of Interior has decided to combat internet misuse by announcing that ID cards will be required to access the internet in cafes and public centres throughout the country.

According to the Department of Public Information Security, the new regulations are intended to not only cut down of cyber fraud and crack down on online criminals, but to also stop the "sexual exploitation of children, and the circulation of pornographic material."

In order to track paedophiles, the Ministry have said they are also 'introducing a series of other measures' to find those who may try to contact children over the net, or exchange illegal files involving the exploitation of children.

Among these measures are making certain programs available to parents which will block access to certain websites.

Combating internet misuse

Speaking to UAE daily Emarat Al You, Major Faisal Al-Shammari,the media liaison for the team sent up to combat the exploitation of children through the internet, said that the new rules drew from a range of institutions in the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, and Italy, in addition to the International Police, or Interpol.

However Al-Shammari said that "the crime of the exploitation of children via the internet is still very limited in the UAE, because of the privacy of the community and its commitment to Arab values and traditions."

For ex-pats living in the UAE, the end of 2010 is the deadline for registering for an ID card. After that time, people could problems with services such as obtaining a driver's licence, visiting a doctor or opening a bank account.

However in a world where more and more businesses and services are moving online, this latest legislation could be the most difficult to avoid.

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