Can I withdraw my consent to data processing under UAE law, and what happens next?

Yes. Where a UAE organisation relies on your consent as its lawful basis for processing under the Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), you generally have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Consent under the PDPL must be a clear, specific and informed indication of agreement, and withdrawing it should be as straightforward as giving it. Practically, you notify the controller — for example by replying to a marketing email's opt-out, using an account privacy setting, or sending a written request to the company's privacy contact. Withdrawal stops future processing that depended on that consent, but it does not automatically make earlier processing unlawful, and it does not force deletion of data the controller must keep on another lawful basis (such as a legal obligation or an ongoing contract). If a business keeps processing your data purely on the basis of consent you have withdrawn, that may breach the law, and you can raise it with the UAE Data Office. Confirm the current procedure with the Data Office, and for disputes you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.