Dubai didn't pay us to show normality, say influencers

At a time when global headlines painted a picture of fear and instability across the region, two Dubai-based influencers took to social media with a different message: life in the UAE was continuing safely, calmly, and normally.

- Arwa Almazrouei

Dubai-based influencers shared the reality during the war due to the wave of misinformation online. — FILE PHOTO

Speaking during a discussion hosted by the Dubai Press Club, content creators Matteo Pittaluga and Antonio Lekic addressed the now-viral claims that influencers in Dubai were being ‘paid’ to post positive content about the city during the recent regional tensions.

The answer, both insisted, was no. ‘Dubai paid to keep us safe,’ entrepreneur and content creator Matteo Pittaluga said during the session, referencing the country’s security and defense systems. ‘But nobody paid me to speak positively about the UAE. I did it because this is my home.’

The discussion, titled ‘The ‘Dubai Paid Me’ Myth: Truth from the inside’, explored how influencers, entrepreneurs, and digital creators navigated the wave of misinformation, AI-generated content, and fear-driven headlines that spread online during the crisis.