As missiles and drones began lighting up the sky over Dubai, many of the city's social media personalities started posting about it. Then the government stepped in.
Traditional media is heavily regulated in the UAE, but these days everyone — not just journalists — has been put on notice.
After the war erupted, authorities announced that people who shared misinformation or even something that “results in inciting panic among people” could be prosecuted. Only officially verified information is safe to post.
This tough, arbitrary edict effectively means the country’s government gets to decide what is and is not true.
5·4 months ago