The Ministry of Economy blocks 13,667 violating websites during the first quarter of 2026

The monitoring campaign implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, through the immediate response service to reports of copyright infringement in the field of creative content and digital broadcasting, resulted in the blocking of 13,667 violating websites during the first quarter of 2026, a growth rate of approximately 400% compared to the same period last year, while the total number of blocked websites since the launch of the “InstaBlock” center in February 2025 until now has reached 47,667 websites. In violation. The campaign was implemented within the framework of the “InstaBlock” initiative that the Ministry previously launched within its integrated intellectual property system, and included the establishment of the “InstaBlock” center for instant blocking.

The center relies on the latest artificial intelligence tools and techniques to implement real-time monitoring and immediate processing of infringement reports by quickly blocking infringing websites and limiting the spread of unlicensed content.

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Rahman Hassan Al-Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, stressed that the success of the control and awareness procedures and the continued operation of the “Insta Block” initiative reflect the effectiveness of the national approach in protecting intellectual property rights, noting that the initiative contributed to strengthening its operational capabilities in cooperation with strategic partners, keeping pace with global best practices, in addition to establishing a safe digital environment that supports creativity and innovation, enhancing the confidence of rights holders in the system of government legislation and procedures, as well as consolidating the UAE’s position in anti-piracy indicators. digital.

The campaign comes within the framework of cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government, in a way that strengthens the partnership with the beneficiaries of the stakeholders such as media institutions and digital content platforms, the most prominent of which are Abu Dhabi Media Network, MBC Shahid, Orbit Showtime Network, Yango Play, and Starz Play, in addition to partners from other sectors, such as the Trademark Owners Council and Nissan Middle East.

The campaign focused on blocking violating websites in cooperation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, which witnesses an increase in violations of broadcast rights and digital content, as they are among the rights protected under the Copyright and Related Rights Law. The Ministry was keen to respond immediately to reports of copyright infringement, including receiving and processing reports around the clock and in continuous coordination with strategic partners.

Instant blocking within the “InstaBlock” initiative recorded a remarkable upward growth in the number of blocked sites during the month of Ramadan over recent years, which reflects the high efficiency of response and speed of digital enforcement, as the number of blocked sites reached 62 sites in Ramadan 2023, and rose to 1117 sites in Ramadan 2024, then to 2217 sites in Ramadan 2025, reaching 5677 locations in Ramadan 2026.

The campaign contributed to supporting integration between government agencies to ensure the effectiveness of implementing relevant legislation, and enhancing operational coordination with the Communications Regulatory Authority and Digital Government to ensure continuity of follow-up around the clock and improve the speed of response and efficiency of digital enforcement.

The campaign’s outcomes also included enhancing community awareness of the importance of respecting intellectual property rights for creative works on digital platforms, and encouraging access to content from its official sources licensed by rights holders, in addition to supporting efforts to deter violating websites and platforms.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism explained that these efforts come within an integrated national approach that aims to promote a safe and organized digital environment that supports innovation and protects intellectual property rights, stressing the pivotal role of the initiative’s partners and their valuable contributions in achieving its goals, which aim to raise the UAE’s competitiveness in global digital content protection indicators, and contribute to supporting the growth of creative industries and an economy based on knowledge, technology and innovation, in line with the “We Are the UAE 2031” vision.