Young people, who rely on social media the most, tend to see Dubai as a shimmering and glamorous symbol of luxury and safety, as proclaimed in their advertisement; a clean space.
Glass skyscrapers and rooftop pools dominate the lifestyle of influencers who helped turn the picture of the United Emirates into what some might describe as the “influencer capital of the world”.
Current events, however, is having a major impact on the image of Dubai, as recent missile strikes connected to the Iran US conflict haunted the country. Shortly following Iran missile strikes, videos and pictures taken from balconies depicted fears. For some reason, though almost as quickly as these videos appeared, most of the posts vanished and were replaced by messages that life in Dubai remained relatively normal.
This fact reveals a deeper matter about the system of Dubai’s influencer culture. Dubai’s enormous digital shadow is built on the exchange of opportunity in return for restriction.
Influencers that want to operate professionally in the UAE must obtain an operating license, one that not only costs up to $4,000, but also requires them to be respectful towards the state, its policies, and its social values, according to The Guardian, a British left leaning news broadcast. In exchange, they gain access to a global market of luxury brands, sponsorships, and a lifestyle that appeals to millions of followers online.
As influencers accept these restrictions, speech evolves to a kind of regulated good. The rewards influencers get for participating in the system are just too big. In Dubai, tax advantages and business opportunities exist for every one of its citizens. But don’t all these benefits also create initiatives for silence?
Especially after some foreign accounts about the impact of the current war reported that after recent attacks, some influencers who earlier posted worried reactions now deleted their content. Furthermore, these influencers also switched their tone to a more reassuring tone, according to WELT, a German centrist news broadcast.
Still, it’ll be too simple to just frame this as governmental pressure. Influencers are an important and active part of the society and many of them still accept these restrictions because the benefits are simply too attractive to reject.
This acceptance alarmingly means that these influencers choose a level of self-censorship in exchange for wealthy and glamorous lifestyles. The disruption of a free discourse is, therefore, not only imposed from above but mainly by the people who profit by this system.
As a result, these influencers accept an environment of limited expression where speech is less expressed by someone’s opinion but rather out of their economic interest.
This relationship is highlighted in moments of crises. The recent strikes have disrupted this created image of Dubai of a secure perfect oasis, as residents describe explosions, rising smoke, and PSAs to seek shelter, according to The Guardian. But still while this situation evolves, many influencers continue to mix a picture of fear with luxurious lifestyles.
The contrast between these images also highlight a second issue. Lived reality and the reality posted online is fractured and the gap between them keeps on growing.
Posts are knowingly designed to appeal to aspiration with the most beautiful locations and the most luxurious and exciting experiences of everyday life. But as specific topics become more alarming, the connection between lifestyle and marketing becomes blurred.
The city of Dubai has expressed and shown itself as a global brand, pursuing stability and positivity, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with Dubai advertising themselves in such a way. Still, recent events exemplify how fragile and unbalanced this narrative is, especially when influencers have to remember what to say and what not to say.
When the perfect feed is overtaken by reality, the restrictions become visible quickly. The question stays put whether influencers with careful stories can establish lasting credibility, when the audience recognizes when something is missing from the painting.
