UAE residents will need a national ID card before logging on in internet cafes
New regulations announced by officials in the United Arab Emirates require everyone to show their national ID cards before accessing the web in public locations like coffee shops and internet cafes.
UAE newspaper Emarat Al Youm reported that the measure will allow government officials to monitor everyone who uses the internet there.
Officials told the paper that the new law, along with a series of other new measures, is meant to help track sexual predators and prevent the exploitation of children.
Yahoo’s Maktoob News reports that internet access in the UAE and other Arabic countries is already "severely restricted," and web users aren’t allowed to access pornography, gambling and some dating websites.
ITP reported that the government will also make new web-blocking software available to parents, allowing them to prevent children from accessing certain websites.
Government officials told GulfNews that the end of this year is the deadline for all residents to apply for an ID card.
Anyone who doesn’t get one will have difficulty getting a drivers license, opening a bank account, or even visiting a doctor according to ITP.
Officials say over time, the ID card is expected to replace all other forms of government identification.
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