Dubai’s influencer community is once again in the spotlight for a series of posts lauding the government in remarkably similar language, sparking allegations that some may be financially incentivized to promote government narratives.

Numerous content creators, boasting hundreds of thousands of followers collectively, have reacted to recent Iranian military actions by posting images of Dubai’s leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by the phrase, “I know who protects us.”

These posts typically start with the question, “Are you scared?” followed by visuals of Sheikh Al Maktoum greeting enthusiastic crowds.

However, this wave of content has drawn skepticism from social media users, some of whom suspect these influencers are on the UAE government’s payroll. Despite these claims, several influencers have publicly denied receiving any payments.

In Dubai, influencers are required to have a license to operate, and the government has responded to the recent conflict by warning of imprisonment for spreading information that could “incite panic among people.”

This stringent approach is thought to have led to a degree of self-censorship among influencers in the region. As a result, earlier footage of Iranian drone and missile strikes has been largely replaced by posts celebrating the local leadership.

There appears to be a deliberate attempt to avoid mentioning the war, with content creators mirroring the sanitised language of the city’s leadership. 

In the first days of the conflict, the government cracked down on ‘citizen journalists’ reposting genuine footage of the first wave of attacks, which included a drone strike on the five-star Fairmont Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah. 

The Dubai Media Office responded within a few hours by claiming that ‘outdated images of past fire incidents’ in Dubai were being spread to stoke fear among the city’s residents.

Today, the city’s airport came under attack from Iranian drones, leaving four people injured as passengers were rushed to shelters. Authorities said two drones fell near the airport earlier today as Iran continues to retaliate against US and Israeli strikes. 

Influencers have responded to Iranian attacks by sharing images of Dubai leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum alongside the words, ‘I know who protects us’

One expert said that it appeared ‘suspicious’ that the videos were identical and could have started out as a ‘paid trend’

One German TikToker, @julisjoking, shared a video rejecting accusations she had been paid to post the ‘I know who protects us’ meme. She said she was only ‘paid’ by the lifestyle benefits she enjoys living in Dubai  

Dubai has today come under attack from Iran as drones were fired towards the city’s airport leaving four people injured as passengers were rushed to shelters 

TikTokers taking part in the viral ‘I know who protects us trend’ typically start by sharing a photo of themselves accompanied by text sayig ‘you live in Dubai, aren’t you scared?’ or ‘do you feel safe in Dubai?’.

It then cuts to the montage of the UAE leader with the words, ‘no, because I know who protects us’. One such video has been viewed nearly 7million times.

Social media users have been quick to suggest the videos appear as if they have been sponsored by the government. 

One hit out at influencers for ‘doing overtime trying to convince the rest of the world it’s all okay’ to which one of them, Bea Albero, responded with, ‘we are ok, I feel this way’. 

Another TikToker, @julisjoking, shared a video rejecting accusations she had been paid to post the ‘I know who protects us’ meme before urging her followers to ‘trust God and trust the government’. 

There are strict laws about criticising or insulting the UAE government or causing ‘reputational harm’ to the country which can result in fines of up to £200,000, or up to five years in prison, and possibly deportation.

It is a harsher sentence if you own property there.

Few influencers will speak about content laws, but Marc Owen Jones, Associate Professor of Media Analytics at Northwestern University in Qatar, said the identical videos were ‘suspicious’.

He was unable to confirm whether the influencers were being paid but did believe there was a strong likelihood that they were in order to emphasise the appearance of safety and stability in the country.

However, he highlighted that the trend may have picked up organically with other – unpaid – influencers recreating similar videos to appear patriotic.

Professor Jones said: ‘At the moment I don’t know for sure if they are paid or not, but my expert opinion is that this started as a paid trend, an attempt to overemphasise the safety of Dubai since the perception of stability is so important for the country.

‘The issue is when trends go viral, people replicate them and they become just that, a ‘trend’. 

‘I also wonder in an authoritarian context if people think posting such content becomes a way of flagging themselves as patriotic and spreading information that will be viewed positively by the authorities.

‘The fact that some of the clips are identical is suspicious, but also the affordances of TikTok and Instagram allow for ‘remixing’ while changing very little.’

Her original post praising the sheikh. The influencer has urged her followers to ‘trust God and trust the government’.

They all then typically cut to a montage of the Al Maktoum as they praise him for keeping the city safe

The Government of Dubai Media Centre has been contacted for comment.

The social media trend comes a day after the Daily Mail revealed that a British influencer in Dubai admitted he’s more worried about being fined or jailed for posting the ‘wrong’ content than he is of the lethal explosives themselves. 

Ben Moss, from Wandsworth in south-west London, said: ‘I do feel completely safe here because of the UAE air defences, but the laws can sometimes concern me so I always keep everything positive.

‘I’m far more scared of being fined or jailed for posting the wrong content than I am of the Iranian missiles and drones.’

That would include videos of drone or missile strikes which anger the authoritarian state. 

When the first waves of Iranian ordnance was launched at the United Arab Emirates (UAE), lifestyle influencer Mr Moss and his Iranian-born girlfriend Parisa, both 31, hot-footed it from their luxury flat in Ras Al Khaimah, the nearest point in the country to Iran, and travelled 70 miles inland.

They pitched a tent near Hatta, a border post with neighbouring Oman, which has largely remained unscathed in the current conflict.

‘We felt it was much safer to be in Hatta, keeping on the move each night,’ said Mr Moss, ‘We were really worried at first, and I had also made the mistake of posting an image of my apartment online and it occurred to me that it could put us at risk.’

Mr Bea Albero received an unambiguous text he (and all citizens) received from the Dubai Police earlier in the week, which read: ‘Photographing or sharing security or critical sites, or reposting unreliable information, may result in legal action and compromise national security and stability.

‘Compliance helps keep the community safe and stable. Your Security is Our Happiness.’

He said he understands the security concerns about videos of drone or missile interceptions being posted and respects the government.

Mr Moss, who has been in the UAE for around three years, admits that his new career is ‘a weird way to make a living’, but his endless enthusiasm keeps him going making ‘content’ deals with businesses across the UAE. 

Influencers Ben Moss (pictured with his girlfriend) is  more worried about being fined or jailed for posting the ‘wrong’ content than he is of explosions

He said he feels the current situation represents ‘an opportunity’ for those like him who are prepared to stay in the UAE for the ‘long haul’.

He added: ‘There will be plenty of people who will head home after these events, to the UK or other countries in Europe. And that might leave a gap for the rest of us.

‘It may also bring down the high property prices and the hotels and resorts will need help with marketing to get their numbers up, and that’s where people like me come in.’

‘I do see the market bouncing back within 24 months, as people will now view the UAE as being an even safer place to live, given they can defend themselves in such a spectacular way, etc. and when the Iranian regime is hopefully removed, we will be living in a much safer region.’