“You live in Dubai, aren't you afraid?”. Why the influencers jumped in unison to defend the image of the UAE against the background of the war in Iran

As missiles and drones threaten the region, Dubai residents and influencers insist they are protected by UAE leaders. The PR campaign has the role of protecting the image of the emirates, in a difficult moment, write the Financial Times and Deutsche Welle, who remind in context that influencers' posts on social networks are strictly regulated.

“You live in Dubai, aren't you afraid,” ask numerous influencers in the same patterned videos posted on Tik Tok and Instagram, and they all give the correct answer: “No, because I know who protects us,” illustrated by images of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and his entourage.

As Iranian missiles and drones cross the region, influencers are going to great lengths to defend the emirate and its leaders.

Their message, notes the Financial Times, is the same, almost identical, across dozens and hundreds of clips: total confidence in Dubai's security and its future as an expat haven.

Since the war broke out on Saturday, the UAE said it had intercepted around 172 ballistic missiles and eight cruise missiles, as well as 755 drones.

However, three people died, several dozen suffered minor injuries, and several buildings, including the US consulate, sustained damage.

As tens of thousands of tourists try to escape Dubai and Abu Dhabi, those who live there insist that life goes on as usual and the place is safer than any city in Europe.

“It certainly started in a negotiated and sponsored way”

In a discussion with the Financial Times, Katja Muñoz, a researcher at the German Council on Foreign Relations, noted that the “I know who protects us” campaign has a clear pattern.

“It's not really propaganda, but it has a tinge of propaganda. It's an influence operation and it's interesting that after only 60 hours (of war) we've seen this,” she said.

“Of course, part of it is just people copying and monetizing the content, but it definitely started in a negotiated and sponsored way. What that tells me is that they (the UAE) have structures already in place – they have existing relationships with influencers that they were able to leverage very quickly,” she said.

In the comments of most of the clips, the authors vehemently denied that they were paid and insisted that they simply felt protected.

“Everyone is safe in the UAE”

For every critical mention on social media of exiles seeking repatriation on taxpayer-funded flights, there were residents of Dubai who insisted that life under the bombs there was safer than in the West.

“Everyone is safe in the UAE. Everyone is protected,” Amjad Taha, an Emirati analyst, was quoted as saying by the Financial Times.

British expatriates, he claimed, were refusing to fill out evacuation forms provided by the British government “in case they somehow turn into tax forms”.

Social media users and influencers who shared the viral clip were “very motivated to talk about safety in Dubai”, said a London-based businessman who frequently travels to Dubai for business.

Conversely, those who criticize the emirate's government or its authorities face heavy fines, imprisonment or visa revocation.

Influencers, strictly regulated

The activity of influencers in Dubai is strictly regulated, writes Deutsche Welle.

From mid-2025, the UAE Media Council has imposed mandatory licensing for social media influencers, further strengthening government oversight of the content they produce.

Following Iran's attacks that hit key infrastructure across the country on Saturday, UAE officials reminded the public – and influencers in Dubai – that “spreading unverified rumors or information is an offense punishable by law”.

The Dubai Media Bureau on Saturday warned against republishing “old videos and images of past fires in Dubai”.

“We confirm that these are false and misleading,” the office said in a statement, stressing that “publishing or republishing such material exposes the authors to legal liability under the laws of the land.”

“We're not allowed to post anything! I had to delete everything”

The UAE Prosecutor's Office also issued a statement warning that anyone who posted or reposted images from “unknown sources” could be fined AED 200,000 (€46,000) and jailed for at least a year.

A report by Germany's NTV media shows Instagram footage of concerned German influencers in Dubai commenting on freedom of expression.

“I don't know what I'm allowed to say and what I'm not allowed to say,” remarked Nathalie Bleicher-Woth, while another person, Zara Secret, admitted: “We're not allowed to post anything! I had to delete everything.” These posts have since been deleted.

Praise for Dubai from Durov, Andrew Tate and Elon Musk

A UAE resident, Anastasiia Polonskaia, who claims to have bought an apartment in Dubai with money made on Instagram, dismissed suggestions that the videos were part of a government-coordinated campaign.

She said that she simply copied into Russian what she saw on the platform in English.

Dubai is also renowned as a top tax haven, which has attracted entrepreneurs and millionaires to invest in property in the UAE.

Various rich personalities have gone viral on the X platform for their comments on current events in Dubai.

Andrew Tate, the influencer accused of human trafficking and rape, posted a clip of himself dancing on the lawn of his home with the message: “Me in Dubai as the bombs fall.”

Meanwhile, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov posted on X: “Unfortunately, I had to leave Dubai for Europe, so not only am I missing out on the free fireworks in Iran, but I'm also putting myself at greater risk. Considering the crime rate in Europe, Dubai is statistically safer, even with the missiles flying. I can't wait to go back.”

“No country is perfect, but Dubai and the UAE are generally safer and better run than many areas in Europe,” Elon Musk added in a comment on Durov's post.