Dubai: Dubai Police’s ‘Digital Guardians’ section has responded to 105 pieces of information, complaints, and reports related to cybercrimes against children since the section’s launch in September 2023.
Digital Guardians comes under the Dubai Police Anti-Cybercrime Department, part of the General Department of Criminal Investigation. The initiative was launched under the directives of Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, to combat and prevent cybercrimes against children.
Various crimes
The section is tasked with combating and preventing criminal methods related to cyberbullying, possession and distribution of child pornography, child enticement and exploitation, and cyber threats and extortion against children.
Captain Ahmad Al Jallaf, Head of the Anti-Cybercrimes Against Children Section, said the Cybercrime Investigation Department has been receiving various reports and complaints regarding cybercrimes since its inception. However, last year, it decided to form a specialised team dedicated to combating cybercrimes against children.
“This newly established section focuses on handling cybercrimes against children, whether through incoming information, complaints, verification processes, or reports from cyber patrols capable of detecting cybercriminal patterns domestically and internationally. The section also aims to monitor and track any unlawful activities before they target children,” Capt Al Jallaf explained.
The project reinforces Dubai Police’s efforts to protect children’s rights under Federal Law No. 3 of 2016, the Child Rights Law (also know as Wadeema’s Law), and the provisions of the Federal Decree Law No. 34 of 2021 on combating rumours and cybercrimes.
