While debris from Iranian missiles rained down on Dubai last week, a striking number of influencers living in the emirate took to social media to reassure their followers that they were living in the safest place on earth. Behind the polished videos and expressions of solidarity with local leadership, however, content creators in the United Arab Emirates operate under increasingly strict laws that can land them in prison for expressing dissent or spreading what authorities label as “misinformation.” The tension between the glamorous image these influencers project and the legal reality they navigate has never been more visible than in the days following the missile strikes.
For nearly a week, residents and tourists in Dubai remained on high alert as luxury hotels, airports, and other buildings were struck by debris from intercepted Iranian missiles. On Saturday evening, fragments hit the Fairmont hotel on the famous artificial island of Palm Jumeirah, with footage showing flames inside the building’s atrium. The following morning, parts of another missile landed near Dubai International Airport, and damage was recorded at other sites around the city, including near the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Despite the chaotic scenes unfolding around them, well-known influencers insisted there was no cause for alarm. Many posted videos with an almost identical framing, responding to the question of whether living in Dubai felt dangerous. In one widely shared clip, influencer Juli E, who has more than 60,000 followers, showed herself looking frightened before cutting to an image of Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the message: “No, because I know who protects us.” Similar posts came from Kanwal Khan, who describes himself as a licensed influencer in the country. Former British reality star Vicky Pattison told her audience that coverage depicting Dubai as being “bombed” was “hyperbolic,” adding that she had been informed “via government channels” that missiles were being intercepted “competently and effectively” and that the damage was caused only by falling debris.
@julisjoking Seeing this happen around us feels surreal. š There's a lot going on right now, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. But in moments like this, all we can really do is stay calm, stay informed, and trust that the authorities are handling the situation. š¤²šļø Focus on what's in our control – being with our families, checking in on loved ones, and keeping faith. Some things are bigger than us, and that's when we choose trust over panic. Stay safe everyone. ā¤ļø #iran #dubai #war #middleeast #news ā¬ orijinal ses – snowbo.art
Petra Ecclestone, daughter of former Formula 1 billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, posted: “This is what safety looks like. This is what resilience looks like. This is the UAE.” Luisa Zissman, another reality television personality, shared that she had heard a fighter jet overhead and remarked that the country was remarkable at intercepting missiles, calling it “the safest country in the world.” Juli E later denied that she had been paid by the UAE government for her post, saying she was “paid” by the safety and opportunities the country had given her.
Beneath the pro-government messaging, UAE authorities were simultaneously warning influencers that publishing content about the escalating conflict with Iran could result in imprisonment, according to The Telegraph. The country’s Public Prosecution Office released a statement cautioning against “publishing or circulating rumors and information from unknown sources.” The notice warned that such actions could cause “confusion and harm the security and stability of society,” and that “spreading rumors is a crime.” This warning reportedly prompted some content creators to quietly delete footage from their accounts, including one lifestyle influencer with millions of followers who removed a video showing burning debris outside her apartment building. She told The Telegraph that she removed the clip “out of respect for UAE rules” after realizing that social media users “have to be very careful about what they say.”
Radha Stirling, a human rights attorney and founder of Detained in Dubai, described the UAE as having “some of the most restrictive speech laws in the world.” The country’s cybercrime legislation criminalizes any online content deemed damaging to the state’s reputation, and posts considered harmful to “public order” can result in fines of up to $77,000 or imprisonment. “The wording of the law is intentionally broad, which means almost anything critical of government policy or regional conflict can be interpreted as a crime,” Stirling said. “Visitors are particularly vulnerable because they often assume they are protected by the free speech standards of their home country. They are not.” Her organization has assisted numerous foreign nationals who have faced criminal prosecution over social media posts.
Dubai has cultivated its reputation as the world’s influencer capital, with an estimated 50,000 content creators living in the city and enjoying tax-free status along with other significant benefits. The UAE government offers a 10-year “golden visa” specifically designed to attract influencers and funds an initiative called Creators HQ, which provides everything from filming spaces to business networking opportunities. Influencers who wish to monetize their content are also required to obtain a government license to do so. Stirling argued that this environment has predictably produced widespread self-censorship. “When criticism carries the risk of imprisonment, people quickly learn what they are and are not allowed to say,” she said.
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates located on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, established in 1971. Dubai, one of the seven, has grown from a small trading port into one of the world’s most visited cities, with a population that is more than 88 percent expatriates. The UAE operates under a federal system of government with no elected legislature, and political parties are banned. Freedom of expression is significantly restricted by law, and the country’s cybercrime regulations, first enacted in 2012 and amended several times since, give authorities sweeping powers to prosecute online speech deemed threatening to national unity or public order. The country has long attracted wealthy residents and celebrities partly due to its zero income tax policy, but human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly flagged concerns about the treatment of activists, journalists, and ordinary individuals prosecuted for what they say online.
If you have thoughts on influencers promoting destinations with strict speech laws or on the balance between personal safety and honest reporting, share them in the comments.
