As the war with Iran is heading towards its first month, the UAE, one of the countries severely hit daily by drones and rockets, is trying to manage its impacted global reputation image as a safe haven. One strategy to achieve this goal is to launch an information control campaign to shape what others know and think about the scale of the destruction within the country. This campaign, however, seems not to be that successful and could even backfire in the near future. 

The UAE’s Cybercrime law is one of the strongest tools to control what’s shared and discussed online. Article 52 criminalizes spreading rumours and fake news with a punishment that reaches two years in prison during crisis times. The law, however, provides a vague definition of them that historically has allowed the government to use them to silence dissent. Based on this law, 100 people have been arrested for filming sites and events and disseminating inaccurate information. According to authorities, this could stir up public opinion and spread rumours. Apparently, those arrested were meant to be an example for others to avoid sharing any information. 

Blocking content directly has also been leveraged to control information. On March 2, 2026, the Federal Public Prosecution ordered the blocking of several X accounts, accusing them of publishing illegal content in addition to insulting the state and its leadership.  These accounts include several prominent Arab and Saudi accounts. It is worth noticing that most of the social media companies have offices in Dubai, which facilitates the speed at which these companies should adhere to the government requests.

Just after the war erupted, influencers suddenly came out defending the UAE and sharing identical messages and content on social media about the safety of the country. This level of coordination was questioned by experts, as all had been planned by the government, or at least to be on its side, especially when we know that influencers are required by law to get a license and renew it annually and must not publish any content that discomfor the government. 

But this campaign, despite the tough tools and tactics it employs, does not function well and has not yet achieved its goals. For instance, international news outlets still share leaked photos and videos from inside the UAE that show the scale of the destruction and the emptiness in the streets of Dubai and airports. Disinformation continues to spread claiming that the authorities ban foreign investors from withdrawing their funds, global brands are shutting down their stores, investment events are cancelled, stock markets are falling, and expats are fleeing in large numbers. 

Paradoxically, as the war drags on, the more the UAE tries to control information, the more it will be exposed for hiding the true situation, and the less credible it will appear to those who continue to move to avoid risking their money and lives. 

© Eurasia Review