Purposes of the Digital Sharing Policy

This policy seeks to establish the basics and foundations that regulate the use of digital sharing tools, outline procedures and responsibilities in this regard, and set restraints regarding the use of any content posted on the FTA’s website and social media accounts. It also aims to ensure the responsible and safe use of social media tools by collaborating and communicating with those who are concerned.

Policy Application Scope and Scale

This policy is developed to serve as a guide and reference to digital sharing and social communication practices in general. It covers all topics, opinions, discussions, and surveys that are raised and negotiated using the digital sharing tools made available by the FTA’s website. Moreover, the digital sharing policy includes social media platforms, other social communication tools, and blogs, among others. The policy is not specific for certain tools or websites; rather it provides general directives and guidelines that pertain to all tools and channels.

Digital Sharing Tools
Through its website, the Federal Tax Authority provides a number of digital sharing tools, including:

• Chat Assistant: Virtual assistant called (Tax Aware Robot Assistant – TARA) available on a 24/7 basis to instantly answer any queries from visitors.
• Notes and Questions Forms: Feature on the FTA website allowing visitors to file a complaint or ask a question regarding any of the Authority’s tasks and services.
• E-mail: info@tax.gov.ae for direct contact with the FTA.
• E-mail: to provide information, raise awareness, and issue alerts, for example for news releases that will reach a large number of users at once.

• Social Media Platforms: To connect with the Authority’s audience. The FTA has accounts on all key social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Enabling People of Determination to Share Digitally
The FTA has equipped its website with various features to ensure People of Determination can easily access the content and effectively contribute to various digital-sharing channels and activities. These include enlarging and reducing the font size, as well as adjusting colours.

Supervision Policy

The FTA welcomes any participation from the audience and provides them the necessary tools to raise their comments and opinions. The Authority considers this feedback as a source for insight and improvement, but reserves the right to screen the submissions, block any of them, or block participants without mentioning the reason.

It is important that the submissions meet the below criteria:

• Does not threaten security, violate any local laws, target any group, or discuss politics.
• Does not include inappropriate language, violate other people’s privacy, or offend them.
• Does not include undesired messages, promote a business, or violate intellectual property rights.
• Does not contain any prejudice or negative references to any community groups on the basis of race, colour, nationality, religion, or situation, among others.

Policy and Procedures of Handling Digital Sharing.

The FTA commits to handling all audience participations as per the following procedures:

• All opinions and comments using the digital sharing tools are reviewed to verify they meet the criteria to be posted.
• Comments made using the digital sharing tools are reviewed to ensure they are in line with the policy.
• To assess participation types and the general opinion trends, media monitoring reports are made daily, monthly, and quarter-monthly.
• Participations are reviewed and, if found to be in violation of the above standards, will be blocked. The FTA has the right to block any comment without having to state the reasons.
  
  
  The FTA also commits to the following:
• Addressing the audience with respect and attention and replying to their questions promptly.
• Having an experienced and knowledgeable team for professional communication.
• Providing multiple communication channels for the audience, so they can choose what best suits them.
• Benefiting from the audience’s opinions and suggestions as a source for making improvements.

Rights of the Audience with Regards to Digital Sharing

• The FTA commits to posting the results of public questionnaires and surveys in a manner consistent with the Authority’s regulations and policies.
• The FTA commits to notifying the participants when it receives their participation using any means of notification it deems appropriate.
• The FTA commits to reporting back to the audience with regards to the status of their submitted questions, complaints, or suggestions.
• The FTA commits to publishing data from its digital sharing tools, making sure they are copyable and downloadable in a manner consistent with the Authority’s regulations and policies.

Review and Audit Policy

All audience participations are reviewed and audited by the FTA before they can be posted. This is to check if they are in line with the policy’s regulations and provisions. In case of a violation of any or all of the policy’s provisions, the participation can be deleted or edited, and may result in prosecution as needed and as per the applicable laws in the UAE.

Digital Sharing Policy Update and Review
This policy is reviewed annually, and the FTA has the right to review and update its content when needed without prior notice or having to inform the audience. The provisions of the published edition of the policy are applicable starting from the date of the policy’s adoption.
Moreover, the policy does not require the audience’s formal approval (e.g. their signature); rather, by using one of the FTA’s digital sharing tools, the individual is giving prior and implied consent to the policy and its provisions.

Disclaimer
The FTA is not legally responsible to any of the participations as they are all personal and reflect the viewpoints of the person(s) who wrote them.