Why are influencers in Dubai all saying the same thing?

Mike Babayan, a social media influencer, was sitting in a hookah lounge across the Burj Khalifa in Dubai when he heard the blast.

An Iranian missile had been intercepted by the United Arab Emirates.

‘But everyone just was shocked for a minute, then went back to their food and hookah like nothing happened, really,’ Mike, who lives in the world’s tallest building, tells Metro.

The gleaming city of Dubai had long been pitched as a haven in an unstable Middle East.

But this image has been shaken after Iran launched hundreds of missiles on the Persian Gulf in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on Saturday that killed more than 700 Iranians, including children.

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Luxury hotels caught fire, explosions shattered the windows of iconic skyscrapers and the Dubai international airport was damaged. Airspace remains closed.

At least three people have died and some 58 have been injured in the UAE, according to the country’s defence ministry.

What have influencers been saying?

The beginnings of the Iran conflict were captured by scores of influencers, some living in Dubai or on holiday.

Some filmed fiery missiles in the night sky, streaking past the city’s iconic skyline, while others spoke to the camera as they hunkered down.

This included Mike, 23, who told his 201,000 followers that he was ‘stuck in the middle of WW3’ last Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles native said life was ‘going on as normal’ and, no, the Burj Khalifa had not been destroyed.

‘I wouldn’t say I was scared, more just like damn, you see it on the news, but now you see it in real life, something you wouldn’t imagine,’ Mike said.

‘Streets are full, restaurants and cafes are packed, it’s almost like nothing ever happened. Feels just like another regular day.’

Users in Dubai are now posting clips of themselves sunbathing, working out and praising UAE officials for doing a good job.

Metro even saw multiple users posting near-identical videos praising the Emirates.

They begin by sharing a comment with a variation of the phrase: ‘You live in Dubai. Aren’t you scared?’

‘No, because I know who protects us,’ the videos add, showing footage of the crown prince of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

Al-Maktoum, meanwhile, filmed his own content for the Dubai Media Office account.

Joined by UAE president, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he took a stroll through the Dubai Mall on Monday, smiling and waving at shoppers.

Such serene scenes were to be expected, Omar Al-Ghazzi, an associate professor of media at the London School of Economics, told Metro.

‘The UAE leadership is projecting a sense of normalcy for nationals and residents and sending a “there is nothing to see here” message to the world,’ he said.

‘Beyond the immediate dangers of the war, there is a risk that Dubai gets associated with conflict in the future.’

Al-Ghazzi added that influencers are ‘flooding’ social media to protect the city’s reputation.

‘Some joked that it is people in Europe who should be afraid of theft and murder, rather than those in Dubai who live in safety and calm,’ he said.

‘This is the Dubai version of “keep calm and carry on”‘

The UAE is an authoritarian country with limited freedom of expression.

Yet Dubai is the ‘influencer capital of the world’. The nation’s professional poster hub, Creators HQ, has nearly 2,500 members with a combined following of 2.45 billion.

Creators must obtain a £3,000 licence, while content that does not respect the Emirates is criminalised.

Dubai Police warned that ‘sharing rumours’ or content that ‘contradicts official announcements’ can land someone in jail.

Still, being an influencer is a job, says Dr Zoe Hurley, an associate professor of media at the American University of Sharjah.

‘The British imaginary of a Dubai influencer as a tax exile, surgically enhanced, drinking cocktails in the sun, is an Orientalist and classist stereotype,’ the author of the book Social Media Influencing in the City of Likes told Metro.

‘Many so-called influencers striving to make a living in Dubai will have insecure income revenues, like fitness, personal training and property.

‘Since these jobs do not necessarily have fixed salaries, healthcare or a safety net, young creators need to maximise their earning potential by promoting everything they do on social media.’

Dr Hurley stressed that influencers are not all downplaying the situation.

‘They are not sending the message that this is business as usual,’ she added. ‘This is the Dubai version of “keep calm and carry on.”‘

Dr Sreya Mitra, an associate professor of mass communication at the American University of Sharjah, told Metro she is seeing similar content from South Asian influencers.

A large population of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis call the UAE home.

Unlike the stereotypical ‘Dubai influencer’ – ‘living the “sweet life” and partying hard’ – Dr Mitra says South Asian expatriates are fact-checking news coverage and posting reels of late-night festive Ramadan markets.

‘They consistently reaffirm their faith in the UAE government and leadership, often recalling their prompt and proactive response during earlier moments of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 Dubai floods,’ Dr Mitra adds.

‘This also reveals how they see themselves not just as temporary expatriates but UAE residents for whom this is their home.’

Mike also has faith. He’s lived in Dubai on and off since 2020 and moved there for what, he says, is the city’s safety.

‘Nothing really has changed for me, still will be here and probably even more confident in the way things are, considering they were able to defend against all the missiles,’ he adds.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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