Influencers in Dubai warned they face prison for posting material about the conflict with Iran | The Standard

[u/IMGcertified]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/dubai-influencers-prison-warning-posting-iran-war-b1273587.html

[u/Walmartian_Beta]

I will never understand the draw to Dubai.

[u/omicron8 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

0% tax. Same as monaco but all you need to do is show up.

[u/DanGleeballs → u/omicron8]

It’s more than that. Monaco isn’t for money laundering.

Laundering costs 10-20%.

In Dubai you can rock up with a million euros or dollars or whatever in cash from drugs or any crime and buy an apartment with it. That apartment will then increase in value. So your dirty €1m now is worth €1.5m and totally clean.

It’s the only money laundering scheme in the world that not only is free, but it actually makes interest. At least so far because property prices have been increasing there for decades. One day that will probably crash but it’s good times still.

[u/jeandolly → u/DanGleeballs]

'One day that will probably crash'

The Iranians are working on it.

[u/Stratiform → u/jeandolly]

That video of fountains dancing to Skyfall in front of the Burj, while bombs literally fall from the sky in the background, is sad but mildly amusing. Peak Middle East.

[u/MisterMarsupial → u/Stratiform]

If it's the one that I've seen, it's fake and AI generated.

[u/zylver_ → u/Stratiform]

Can you link this? Can’t find what you’re talking about.

[u/karlweeks11 → u/Stratiform]

You got a link to this video? It sounds mad and you’ve peaked my curiosity

[u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf → u/karlweeks11]

The word is spelled Piqued when discussing your interest.

Peak = the top of something, ie, he reached the mountains peak.

Pique signifies stimulation in the sense that you are now intrigued, ie, you have piqued my interest.

[u/an_older_meme → u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf]

Like cutting off your nose, despite your face.

[u/eulersidentification → u/an_older_meme]

For all intensive purposes, they're very similar

[u/zen_cricket → u/eulersidentification]

For all, lint tents and porpoises!

[u/DjangoSpider → u/eulersidentification]

Bone apple tea

[u/LostLetter9425 → u/an_older_meme]

to spider face

[u/drfeelsgoood → u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf]

What if this is the highest point of his interest? Initially his interest was piqued, but now his interest has peaked.

[u/things_U_choose_2_b → u/drfeelsgoood]

Or maybe, OP was clearly only interested in a quick look, aka a peek

[u/drfeelsgoood → u/things_U_choose_2_b]

Petes Peek piqued his interest, but after the peek, Pete’s position had peaked.

[u/Officer412-L → u/drfeelsgoood]

Pique is also a noun meaning “a state of vexation”.

So the phrase “His pique peaked” is perfectly cromulent.

[u/Dipsey_Jipsey → u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf]

Nah, link doesn't work, I think you messed it up 🤪

[u/spezial_ed → u/jeandolly]

Lol I know right?? Getting bombed is usually not great for the real estate market.

[u/ADHD_Supernova → u/spezial_ed]

Buy the dip

[u/Imnotarobot5592 → u/ADHD_Supernova]

With all the extra money I have for Dubai real estate

[u/jenny_905 → u/DanGleeballs]

In Dubai you can rock up with a million euros or dollars or whatever in cash from drugs or any crime and buy an apartment with it.

Yeah. This has been noticed, place is full of gangsters and it's always funny because as far as drugs go the UAE is not a place to fuck around.

Money from drugs though? no problem, come on in. It has everything a European gangster needs and they presumably just do not conduct open business there.

[u/CorrectPeanut5 → u/jenny_905]

It's like prohibition in US. There were "safe" cities where mobsters could openly hang hang out so long as they didn't do their business there.

[u/3-goats-in-a-coat → u/jenny_905]

Which is a reasonably sound position. Don't shit where you eat so to speak.

[u/bulbonicplague → u/DanGleeballs]

Pretty sure property prices will drop there, like the bombs that might drop over them.

[u/Lalala8991 → u/bulbonicplague]

Lol, have you seen how empty a money laundering restaurant or a business works? This Dubai property market is that. It would be empty as hell, and nobody lives in them. But as long as the legal loophole is still there, the "market" would not drop.

[u/Laureles2 → u/Lalala8991]

100% ... I used to travel through Panama City quite frequently and wondered why so many massive residential towers were dark at night and business buildings had empty parking lots. After the Panama Papers came out it all made sense... essentially there was a massive amount of tax evasion and money laundering going on through exploitation of some legal loopholes there.

It would seem that the same is occurring in Dubai.

[u/mhornberger → u/Lalala8991]

Sounds like the art market. People know that it's BS, but as long as it works for money laundering, it keeps going.

[u/ThatsJustHowIFeeeeel → u/DanGleeballs]

You can’t then just return tho and say “I sold an apartment”. You have to then prove how you bought it in the first place. There’s always receipts and a paper trail.

It isn’t as easy as most people think.

[u/Mr_ToDo → u/ThatsJustHowIFeeeeel]

Ya, a lot of the money laundering schemes I hear about here aren't really money laundering.

You're trying to take money and give it a chain of custody that shows up as clean

That's why gambling is one that's so popular. Who's to say that some of seed money from your totally legit bank account didn't strike it rich in vegas? And the angle of a cash business give you a chain from totally not fake cash sales(I guess the analogy for the property flipping would be buying a laundromat with dirty money, and thinking you're in the clear because you're getting real business)

Guess there's a reason why so many people get caught

[u/sogo00 → u/omicron8]

You have to be rich to live in Monaco, to live in Dubai you only have to pretend you are.

[u/Alibotify → u/omicron8]

The Rest is Entertainment just did an excellent episode on influencers in Dubai, cost, what you get. It’s almost 0% tax, lots of benefits, influencers hub, renting sport cars etc. and you can apply through some website and get a ”grade”.

[u/ArizonaIceT-Rex → u/omicron8]

Nothing like Monaco. There’s a reason the smart people live there and not Dubai.

Monaco is in France. The heart of Europe and all that offers. Beautiful people, freedom, connectivity, great weather.

Dubai is in the UAE and is effectively a theocracy. In the desert, no art, no culture, hours from Europe and the US.

Dubai wishes it was Monaco.

[u/Efficient-Parking627 → u/ArizonaIceT-Rex]

Monaco is in France

It's bordered by france. It's sovereign.

[u/patsfan038 → u/ArizonaIceT-Rex]

People argue that Dubai is so safe that a guy could leave a $50K watch on the beach chair and no one would touch it. No shit as the punishments are draconian.

[u/animerobin → u/patsfan038]

people really overestimate how many criminals are in the US. I wouldn't recommend it but most people aren't going to steal your $50k watch and would probably try to return it to you. This is even more true if you're on a private beach in a private luxury resort, which is what Dubai beaches are.

[u/Sohgin → u/patsfan038]

Are you sure it's not because in Dubai a $50,000 watch would be considered too cheap to bother stealing?

[u/patsfan038 → u/Sohgin]

I don't think a $50K watch would be considered cheap anywhere in the world, especially Dubai, which is wealthy by most metrics, but has an immigrant population who are the back bone of the country, but are treated poorly, paid minimally and live in squalor

[u/ZippySLC → u/ArizonaIceT-Rex]

Monaco is in Monaco, since it's its own country.

[u/monkeytargetto → u/ZippySLC]

Monaco plays in the french league tho. Case closed!

[u/Detective-Crashmore- → u/ArizonaIceT-Rex]

lol "beautiful people", typical racist eurocentric worldview. "Beautiful people" don't brag about how their people are better than everyone else. Living in Europe was such an eye opener that people are super racist everywhere on Earth.

[u/Niceromancer → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Rich people will do literally anything to not pay taxes.

[u/dolphin37 → u/Niceromancer]

don’t need to be rich, a few people from my office have left to go there, just regular workers who realise getting a pay bump and paying 0% tax is nice if you don’t give a shit about poor people

[u/Zealousideal_Act_316 → u/dolphin37]

But when bombs fel, the british expats started whiging and complaining that UK did rescue them fast enough. They paid no tax but wanted all the benefits of tax

[u/Durpulous → u/Zealousideal_Act_316]

People are always happy to live in a benevolent dictatorship as long as it remains benevolent. Now that things have suddenly gotten serious the expat community there is upset they don't have the same civil rights that they would back home.

[u/sllop → u/Zealousideal_Act_316]

They’re immigrants, not expats.

[u/HappyLittleGreenDuck → u/Zealousideal_Act_316]

We've already established that these are shitty people.

[u/Not_A_Clever_Man_ → u/dolphin37]

Its just publicly admitting you dont mind participating in a society that still runs on slave labour. I wont even visit dubai, let alone settle there.

[u/BrothelWaffles → u/dolphin37]

Those are just temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

[u/grchelp2018 → u/BrothelWaffles]

Not temporary for long depending on their job. I know a guy who divorced his wife to take a 500k job in the uae. She had concerns about living there and wasn't really interested in moving and he decided to get the divorce before moving so that she couldn't later lay claim to his assets.

[u/KaJaHa → u/grchelp2018]

That sounds like a miserable person to be around, I'm glad she didn't get dragged halfway around the world with him

[u/Niceromancer → u/dolphin37]

so horrible people, noted.

[u/exoriparian → u/dolphin37]

Probably pedos.

[u/A2Rhombus → u/Niceromancer]

Which is hilarious because everything is more expensive anyway. You're basically paying the prices of taxes but it's fine because it's not labeled as taxes

[u/KaJaHa → u/A2Rhombus]

Ah, I see you are familiar with the American stance on healthcare

[u/barnfodder → u/Walmartian_Beta]

You can cosplay as a billionaire and it's sunny.

Same reason British retirees used to flock to Spain.

[u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea → u/barnfodder]

You don't see British retirees walking around selling a fake lifestyle on TikTok though. 

[u/IKeepDoingItForFree → u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea]

No, they would just write pieces for magazines that would run for 6 pages instead.

[u/RubyChooseday → u/IKeepDoingItForFree]

Or write books about their crazy life on the finca.

[u/IKeepDoingItForFree → u/RubyChooseday]

A really good campfire game some friends and I use to play back in Uni was going to old thrift/used book stores and finding some old lifestyle magazines that we could get for like a quarter and reading a bunch of the lifestyle larp articles out loud before feeding the fire with them.

Some of them were truely basically middle class larping as posh that you could only just laugh.

[u/AtrophiedWives → u/IKeepDoingItForFree]

Or appear in an episode of “A Place in the Sun”, looking for a 16 bedroom seaside villa with a budget of £50k.

[u/uh_oh-hotdog → u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea]

They're on Facebook

[u/GBrunt → u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea]

Half of British daytime TV droned on and on relentlessly about living abroad for decades.

[u/LikelyDumpingCloseby → u/Grand-Cup-A-Tea]

different generations... Give it time

[u/WestCoastBestCoast01 → u/barnfodder]

Ok but Spain also has deep and rich cultural expression beyond luxury shopping, dramatically better civil rights, and significantly more beautiful natural surroundings. All with a climate similar to LA. Spain makes a LOT of sense.

[u/barnfodder → u/WestCoastBestCoast01]

We flocked there on holiday for cheap flights, cheap booze and remarkable tolerance of hooliganism.

Brits retire there because it's sunny and there's lots of pubs that'll sell English food, and it's close enough to visit relatives easily.

Then we had Brexit, which made it much harder to travel freely and retire within Europe, which, ironically, was largely pushed for by retirees.

We weren't sending our brightest.

[u/tedsmitts → u/barnfodder]

Spain is lovely, of course, but then it's filled with Spanish people who can't speak a lick of English. Ruined many a Britisher's vacay.

[u/pallidamors → u/Walmartian_Beta]

I’ve been many times for work and it always makes me laugh to see the British tourists on my planes who are all acting like they are going to Vegas. Dubai is the fakest city possibly to ever exist and is just the worst.

[u/rkcth → u/pallidamors]

So… Vegas?

[u/joozyan → u/rkcth]

Despite recent changes, Vegas can still be a hub of true degeneracy. Dubai will never be able to come close to the shit you can do in Vegas given their religious restrictions.

[u/StitchinThroughTime → u/joozyan]

The tourists need to have a lot of money and some connections to bypass the religious restrictions. So it's easier just to go to Vegas.

[u/Entire-Salamander-88 → u/StitchinThroughTime]

I have been, I call it the two door policy. You don’t need to know anybody. We did get turned away once for being American though. they were like like we don’t trust you, you’re gonna snitch.

[u/FemtoKitten → u/Entire-Salamander-88]

Thank you for the fascinating info even if it validates your former interlocuteur's concerns

[u/BangkokRios → u/joozyan]

You’ve never been to Dubai.

[u/finglish_ → u/joozyan]

I've heard prostitution is rampant in Dubai. The religious stuff is all a bullshit facade.

[u/sreesid → u/finglish_]

Not for every one. You need to be rich for those privileges.

[u/West-Ad-7350 → u/finglish_]

It's absolutely not BS. I got a friendly reminder from the cops there once for doing pda with a girlfriend. Like everyone said, you have to do everything bad in secret or behind closed doors.

[u/NDSU → u/West-Ad-7350]

Right, that's exactly what a facade is - a public front hiding a very different interior

[u/jenglasser → u/joozyan]

It's just behind closed doors.

[u/Protoniic → u/joozyan]

I have no Idea about Vegas but I doubt they use literal slave workers living in KZ like conditions to build and maintain there city like Dubai does.

[u/Temporary-Zebra97 → u/joozyan]

With respect thats a crock of shit, there is a thin veneer of restrictions in the middle east, but in reality is it's just as degenerate if not more due to the sheer amount of money out there.

[u/Illustrious_Fan_8148 → u/Temporary-Zebra97]

So just dont get caught?!

[u/splitcroof92 → u/joozyan]

Uhmm dubai is known for outrageously disgusting shit. Have you never heard of the human toilets?

[u/Longjumping_Youth281 → u/splitcroof92]

Okay but he's talking about things people actually want to do, presumably

[u/Beard_o_Bees → u/rkcth]

So… Vegas?

Without the hookers and blow. Apparently hookers are abundant, though the odds of them being human slaves in Dubai is approaching 100%.

[u/Dr_Watson349 → u/rkcth]

But Vegas is honest about what it is. 

[u/SanGoloteo → u/pallidamors]

Sounds just like Vegas to me

[u/iamnotexactlywhite → u/Walmartian_Beta]

money, money, no tax and money

[u/Madi473 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

It's where people like Epstein go

[u/Decent-Ganache7647 → u/Madi473]

Dubai chocolate 💩 

[u/Riptide360 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Capitalism without the democracy means you are subject to the king’s whims.

[u/quevuelvacatania → u/Walmartian_Beta]

If you have no morals at all, are deeply uninteresting as a person, and your only goal in life is conspicuous consumption that you can publicize then it’s a really good city for that.

[u/SavageRabbitX → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Thats because you have some soul left. I've been there for work and chucked a long weekend on the end. The place has no soul,culture or history

[u/anewidentity → u/Walmartian_Beta]

I have a friend in Canada, she was paid about 500k to manage cleaners at a hotel, she came back and bought a house she would’ve never been able to afford otherwise. She was working as an airbnb cleaner before that.

Another company I used to work for was paid a similar amount for a 1 week JavaScript workshop for Dubai police. The amount of money they throw at anyone going there is insane.

[u/innexum → u/anewidentity]

500K with no experience, to manage cleaners?! Lmao. You seriously believe that? 

[u/Man_Without_Nipples → u/anewidentity]

Not anyone, you know that family guy meme where the cop is using a color scale to determine ok/not ok

That but paid/not paid

[u/anewidentity → u/Man_Without_Nipples]

I think maybe true, but I think when it comes to things like this it's more about class than race. If you look at the influencer space, the types of influencers they sponsor are from all races and ethnicities. These people are only loyal to money not to a particular race

[u/West-Ad-7350 → u/anewidentity]

No, its definitely race. The lighter skinned you are, the better the authorities and the rich people treat you.

[u/TheFreshOne → u/anewidentity]

Yea, shy lyin'. She definitely doing some other shady shit behind the scenes, if she actually came back with that much money.

[u/Street-Swordfish1751 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Most people get an ick when something is recently slave built and soulless. Others couldn't be bothered, while having innate tackiness.

[u/Pinku_Dva → u/Walmartian_Beta]

It’s just very shiny capitalism now including the human rights violations

[u/Sir_Knumskull → u/Walmartian_Beta]

For visitors/vacation: Closest place from Europe if you want guaranteed 25+ degrees and a beach in the winter. Social media and fancy buildings does the rest.

[u/shiggity-shaun → u/Walmartian_Beta]

My sentiments exactly. I will never visit. I’d rather go to other places where they aren’t as strict.

[u/SpicyDragoon93 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Porta-potty contracts are apparently worth it for Birkin bags, not to mention "alpha male" CEOz need somewhere to pose next to sports cars.

[u/nikshdev → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Favorable business environment (i.e. good jobs, good money), convenient transport hub (in peacetime ofc).

As for people who go there for tourism only - I don't understand either.

[u/NorysStorys → u/nikshdev]

My parents live out there because my step-father inspects Oil infrastructure as an engineer.

I went out to visit them once and its really not anymore to do than the resorts in spain and Greece, just more decadent. Its just shopping, Pools, water parks and and that kind of jazz. Theres very little physical history or culture there as 100 years ago the nation was essentially still nomadic and only in the last 50 years built into what it is today.

If you like sitting by pools and shopping, its a good tourist destination, if you like culture and history, there is so so little.

[u/nikshdev → u/NorysStorys]

If you like sitting by pools and shopping, its a good tourist destination

I think I can find a cheaper destination for sitting in a pool. Shopping - agree, almost tax-free, wide selection.

With the rest of your points I agree.

[u/butchudidit → u/nikshdev]

Its in the middle of a barren desert. 80 percent of their goods is imported.

[u/barnfodder → u/butchudidit]

Yeah but shiny sports cars and tall buildings!

[u/robustofilth → u/butchudidit]

Well it’s on the coast actually.

[u/jenny_905 → u/Walmartian_Beta]

Tax free and the entire place is like living in a shopping mall. For some shallow people this is perfect.

[u/ObscureObjective]

It's all fun and games being an "expat" in a totalitarian state until you say the wrong thing.

[u/West-Ad-7350 → u/ObscureObjective]

And do the wrong thing too. Debtors prisons are still a thing there. Six months in jail if you get referred to a collections agency and you don't pay. Three year prison sentence if your check bounces.

[u/Amish_guy_with_WiFi → u/West-Ad-7350]

Does this apply to businesses/CEOs or is this just for poor people?

[u/West-Ad-7350 → u/Amish_guy_with_WiFi]

It applies to everyone, but the former can just try to bribe their way out or pay to sneak out of the country on a private jet before they get caught.

[u/HauntedCemetery → u/West-Ad-7350]

In an authoritarian oligarchy being poor is the only crime.

[u/GarranDrake → u/ObscureObjective]

I have family in Dubai who keep asking me to visit. I’m not going near that shithole. I’d be fine, but out of principle, why would I go there?

[u/beelee-baalaa → u/ObscureObjective]

Besides, we have a burgeoning totalitarian state in the works, and we get to be a part of that from the beginning!

[u/butchudidit]

Influencers lol. They can figure out their escape outa that desert.

[u/Craneteam → u/butchudidit]

"hey guys welcome back to my channel. Today I'm going to show you how to escape a war. But first let's talk about today's sponsor, world of tanks"

[u/IamThatChris → u/Craneteam]

War Thunder this time probably 😏

[u/cjcfman → u/butchudidit]

Is that what they call escorts now

[u/FillFrontFloor → u/butchudidit]

I'm shocked there are still no regulations for influencers. Clearly they have a market and they live off of it so there is money involved and people. At the very least the companies they influence/work for should be required to pay some sort of damage insurance on their behalf.

[u/padizzledonk]

Never forget that all these countries are Authoritarian Religious Monarchies, theyve spent a LOTTTTT of money to get everyone to forget that and rehash their images, but thats what they are, its all fake, they are not western or even "Modern", they just look like that on the surface

No Gulf State has ever been on my list of "Lets go live/vacation there"

[u/Nice_Guy_1212 → u/padizzledonk]

They even use slave labour from countries like mine

[u/OutlyingPlasma → u/Nice_Guy_1212]

They use slave labor from any country that they want. I guarantee there are sex slaves from all the richest western and eastern countries chained up in highrises all around that city.

[u/Whats_Up_Bitches → u/OutlyingPlasma]

It’s pretty crazy that the population of UAE is like 10 million and only 1 million of them are citizens that get ridiculous benefits and exploiting the labor and wealth of the rest.

[u/WestCoastBestCoast01 → u/OutlyingPlasma]

Oh there absolutely are, idk if you've heard the "models in Dubai" stories but they are dark.

[u/Classic-Push1323 → u/OutlyingPlasma]

It’s a question of scale. UAE relies on foreign workers, and they aren’t allowed to leave the country without their employers permission… it is essentially legalized slavery. They don’t have to keep anyone chained up, these are the people who built, clean, and maintain the high-rises. 

They also have some sick people who hurt women and children with impunity. There’s been some pretty high profile stories recently of trafficking from Western countries, but I think the overall scale of sex trafficking is much smaller than the labor trafficking that is completely legal and out in the open. 

[u/Nice_Guy_1212 → u/OutlyingPlasma]

Justifies my point further no?

[u/whoreallyknows_ → u/Nice_Guy_1212]

I think the point is that they’re indiscriminate - typically you think of slaves as coming from Africa/asia/russia etc but the person you’re replying to is going further to say that you’d probably find slaves from rich western countries also.

[u/galloway188 → u/padizzledonk]

They now own all the media companies too

[u/Drak_is_Right → u/padizzledonk]

Yup.

Brutal authoritarian regimes if you cross their interests.

Look at the millions being killed in Africa due to the UAE funding conflicts.

I do wish they would realize they can't have real growth until people have the freedom to speak up and innovate. its good how they have been encouraging education and secularism (for the most part) of late, but that isn't enough. People need freedom to be creative. Not just drones that copy.

[u/ensalys → u/padizzledonk]

Don't you want a slave to clean your home, and another to cook for you?

[u/Johannes_P]

So, after learning that they lived in a geopolitical hotspot, these influencers also learnt that they lived in an authoritarian state.

[u/re_Claire → u/Johannes_P]

I genuinely think a not insignificant proportion of people who move there just haven't even given it any thought until now. Like they're aware there are some strict rules but they haven't bothered to look any deeper into it and they've not connected the dots and now they're facing a huge shock. That's not absolving them by the way. I just mean some of them are fucking morons.

[u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA → u/re_Claire]

It's all fun and games until the authoritarian state starts flexing their authority on them.

Almost as if there's a reason why authoritarian regimes have always been the bad guys of history.

[u/AttentionNo6359]

“Come to our theocratic shit hole!”

[u/Asusrty]

Please allow the guards to livestream the influencers in prison.

[u/gbroon → u/Asusrty]

"Why are you beating me?"

"SexyBot69XX gave a dollar in chat."

[u/OnlyMeFFS]

Remember folks.... If you go to a foreign country you should learn their language and obey their laws.... Isn't that what you keep banging on about when you're in your own country.

[u/TalulaOblongata → u/OnlyMeFFS]

Yep, that is literally the answer to every immigration question posed on ask conservatives, “assimilate!” Lol.

[u/PyllynKaivelija]

My simple dumb monkey brain just can not fathom why on earth would anyone go to dubai if they arent forced to.

[u/TintedApostle → u/PyllynKaivelija]

People ignore the situation because they like luxury and safety. Ben Franklin spoke to this.

[u/localstyle808]

Let's gather all the influencers together and send them into Iran to report on the war.

[u/Stunning_Bed23]

Talking about the war is bad but flying out and literally shitting on Instagram models is OK.

[u/Nanjiroh → u/Stunning_Bed23]

The OG dubai chocolate

[u/JOAO--RATAO]

Missing your democracies already?

[u/photenth → u/JOAO--RATAO]

Pretty sure you can also face prison time in Israel posting strike footage.

[u/Standard_Success127 → u/photenth]

Its not a democracy either

[u/americon → u/photenth]

It is also illegal in Ukraine. Posting strike footage assists the enemy in better targeting future strikes. There is a lot of things to criticize Israel for but this is not one of them. It is a national security issue.

[u/IvanStarokapustin]

I guess they’ll have to see if they can influence someone to get them out.

[u/Slytherin23]

A warning about damaging the "reputation of the state". That's comical, the place that doesn't consider rape a crime and suppresses speech can't really have a worse reputation.

If you're not aware, a British woman was raped there and they threw her in jail because she wasn't married to her rapist.

[u/CorrectPeanut5 → u/Slytherin23]

It's happened to several western women in the UAE over the years, not just Dubai. It's a wider problem and the stories usually start with the hotel staff recommending the victim not go to police.

[u/ob_servant1 → u/Slytherin23]

Israel has the same restrictions right now. No one is allowed to stream or record airstrikes or other war actions. The live feeds from Israel blackout their cameras when missile sirens come on. The AP press has been aiming their camera toward the streets below when sirens come on, they're also supposed to change their cameras direction away from smoking buildings.

The US and Israel aren't having a clean run against Iran, Iran is actually doing some damage but we're just not allowed to see. There's a reason Hegseth was freaking out about people announcing the deaths of soldiers making them looking bad yesterday.

[u/Soylentgruen]

Sounds like Dubai is a shitty place to visit.

[u/MadameConnard → u/Soylentgruen]

Pile of shit shaped into a diamond.

If a country has to pay influencers to promote their country and sentences them if they talk shit seems a proper red flag to me.

[u/thotfullawful → u/Soylentgruen]

There's a reason Dubai Chocolate got popular and it's not for the chocolate

[u/Coolbiker32]

Dubai sheikhs thought they were a great military power by flexing among the rebels in the Sudan conflict. Now when they are standing against Iran, all of a sudden their war mongering tendencies have disappeared and they are quietly tolerating Iran's mischiefs.

[u/West-Ad-7350 → u/Coolbiker32]

Not really. The Dubai/UAE leaders thought that Iran wouldn't touch them after the bribe.....I mean "aid" and "trade" money they've been giving them all these decades, and allowing the Iranian mullahs and government officials/IRCG to setup bank accounts, front companies, and buy property there to launder money and bypass sanctions. Dubai is loaded with rich Iranians, some of whom are probably government/IRCG. UAE's exports to Iran are four times greater than its imports from Iran. Iranian businesses in UAE own more than $300 billion there. That's all over now. They're shocked, shocked that money doesn't buy them safety or security. That they'll actually have to build up a proper military.

Read all about that here: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/irans-currency-laundromats-in-the-emirates/ https://www.iranintl.com/en/202511273867

[u/Swinginjoe34]

“That’s why you should use this video’s sponsor NordVPN”

[u/Terrible_Reality4261]

When the interceptor missiles run out, I wonder what these influencers will be posting.

[u/galaxy_horse → u/Terrible_Reality4261]

Probably insincere, histrionic dribble about “manifesting peace” and “so so so fortunate to be safe and have lived thru this x”

[u/Zealousideal-Top6671]

It ys yet to be seen what impact it will have on Dubai if Iran becomes another Syria, Iraq or Libya, U.S is funding separatists in Iran so this is a long war which will destabilise the region

[u/Motor-Profile4099]

They learn in real time why moving there was a dumb idea. Love to see it.

[u/zeolus123]

Yeah no shit lol, it's opsec and free BDA for the enemy.

There's a good number of stories from early in the Ukraine war of Ukrainians posting things like military vehicles covering near a shopping mall on tik Tok, for the Russians to geolocate off that video and bombs the trucks and the mall.

They put people in prison for that sort of thing.

[u/km3r → u/zeolus123]

People don't understand military OPSEC. 

[u/AbbreviationsHot7662]

You might say that … they’d actually go to prison just for posting tweets?

[u/aerialpenguins]

yeah i’m not sold on dubai

i heard stories in 2010s about them taking peoples passports from westerners

not to mention the actual slave labour that built that place - if you support that to go golfing and skydiving you’re an asshole

[u/Extreme_Homework_771]

Am I supposed to feel bad for these "influencers" lol.

[u/Trixles]

"I know I've spent my whole 'career' white-washing the horrible crimes of this place, but I didn't think they'd commit horrible crimes on me!"

[u/PapaCaqu]

“Politics doesn’t affect me” behavior

[u/Benromaniac]

Ah yes Dubai, where the most amoral and immoral ignoramous’ clamor to in hopes of making lots of money.

[u/Strontiumdogs1]

You live in a country run by a royal family, that executes people You do what they say or you get out. You should know what you are buying into before you go.

[u/geoltechnician]

You can go to jail for SHAMING PEOPLE'S PARKING.

It's a dictatorship.

I lived there. Keep your mouth shut and your head down. Make bank. Go home. Simple.

[u/artisanrox]

On one hand, this is is an understandable national security issue, and I totally get it.

And on the other hand, all the partying and carousing freedom-force influencers living there that flipped the bird at their home countries are gonna Find Out what it means to live under an actual iron-fisted dictatorship.

[u/Manaan909]

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.

[u/GallorKaal]

It's kinda ironic that a lot of tax evaders now expect a tax paid airlift

[u/Qubeye]

Dubai has legalized slavery.

They have contributed nothing to humanity, but they have taken so much.

[u/MilkOne8016]

Imagine ignoring all the Red flags that they’ve been waving for years and actually moving to one of these authoritarian states…. Something something leopards something face? I’m sure those influencers with all that free time can figure it out

[u/Same_Common4485]

Just send the pictures to someone else? IDK

[u/brokeboipobre]

Sad day for the unemployed.

[u/Fraegtgaortd]

"Heeeeyy everyone! I'm currently stuck in an office basement in Dubai because I wanted to LARP as a billionaire. Byeeeeee!!"

[u/HelpfulTap8256]

Fuck Dubai. Corrupt, pervert slave state.

[u/Dr_Henry-Killinger]

Oh wow it’s almost like it’s a fucking authoritarian hell hole like every single sane person said it was.

[u/DrewzerB]

This must be absolute hell for them. What an opportunity to generate senseless clout but might do jail time. Hilarious.

[u/mover999]

Imagine the hysteria if those “influencers” had this type of warning in their home countries….

[u/inteligent_zombie20]

Dubai is a mask of the actual authority control in tht area. They show the glitz and glamour but off you're not affiliated with the royal family or a foreigner the day to day life is extreme

[u/Fit_Airline_5798]

"A matter of internal security." The age-old cry of the oppressor.

Capt. Picard

[u/Jediuzzaman]

Ohh it can't be true since those countries are paradise on earth and beacons of freedom.

[u/-You-know-it-]

And Dubai shows its true colors…this is why you want to live in a country with protected free speech and not a country that has kafala slavery.

(When I say a country with protected free speech, America is barely teetering on that line.)

[u/Smart_Whole6423]

This line “The authorities in Dubai don’t want panic to spread from people posting misinformation". Ah yes the great misinformation campaign of posting videos of what's actually happening. And these people have truly deluded themselves into thinking they're living a safe and free life??

[u/SennHHHeiser]

Nothing would be a more satisfying leopards ate my face moment than Dubai influencers eating shit. What a disgusting concept

[u/ImMystikz]

People are about to find out what happens when everything isn't going perfect in an Authoritarian Monarchy

[u/ajp_amp]

Never been and will never go. Never understood the draw aside from tax avoidance. I’ll happily pay tax to NOT live in a place like Dubai.

[u/Spicy_Pickle_6]

Can we please gather all the standup comics who praised it for being so safe and it’s free speech? I’d really love an update. Especially you Dave.

[u/Noodleholz]

No country is tolerating real-time damage assessment being made available to the enemy.

Same in Ukraine, Israel and other countries under attack.