Dubai: A popular supermarket chain in Sharjah has warned residents not to believe the latest rumour circulating on social media.
The Sharjah Cooperative Society responded to salacious rumours about its products, and advised residents to only read news that are published from trust-worthy sources.
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The online video spreading across social networking sites claimed that employees of Sharjah Cooperative tampered with the expiration date of its products’ labels, and sold expired goods on its shelves.
In a press release, the management of the supermarket responded that it will take legal action against those who filmed and published the videos.
The supermarket franchise also urged residents not to react to the false allegations, and called on social media users not to circulate or publish the rumour.
Dh1 million fine
Residents who spreading fake news on social media can be slapped with a hefty fine from anywhere between Dh250,000 and Dh1 million, depending on the gravity of the allegations.
The penalty for circulations rumours can also include imprisonment ranging from one to three years.
According to Article 29, Federal Law No 5 of 2012, residents in the UAE will be penalised if they are proven guilty of sharing information, news, statements or rumours that are damaging to the reputation of the state or any of its institutions.
This includes messages posted by any type of electronic means, including email, SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook or other social networking sites.
