There’s something grotesquely tone-deaf about influencers posing poolside while the world erupts into conflict, Cally Brooks argues, but somehow their detachment from the real world still manages to shock
Scroll through Instagram and you’ll see it again and again – sun soaked beach clubs, skyscraper sunsets, and carousels of glitz under the Dubai skyline. To many influencers and social media holidaymakers, Dubai seems like a glossy paradise where rules don’t apply – until they do.
In the past few years, it seems like half of the British influencer scene are packing their bags in search of the United Arab Emirates – partly due to the appeal of a tax-free income, but also in search of the “safety” they all brag about online.
While it might be safe for some, it’s definitely not for others. Same sex relationships are illegal in the UAE, and you could find yourself in prison, regardless of if you are a tourist or local resident.
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The UAE, of which Dubai is part, is governed by a legal system based on a blend of civil and Islamic law. Many of these laws are designed to preserve social order, but for Western visitors they can seem shockingly strict.
For starters, their public decency laws mean it’s extremely frowned upon to even show affection on the streets. You could land yourself in prison for simply kissing your partner.
Swearing or rude gestures are illegal, and visitors are expected to respect Islamic cultural norms when it comes to dress code. For women, this means covering your shoulders and knees, while ‘cross dressing’ is illegal.
The UAE even monitor social media to make sure you are not critiquing their government, which is a stark difference from the free speech we often take for granted in the UK. There is a zero tolerance for drug related offences, as former Love Island star Kaz Crossley knows all too well.
In February 2023, Kaz was arrested in Dubai during a layover after authorities reviewed a 2020 party video that allegedly showed her sniffing a white powder. She was detained for several days, openly discussing the harrowing ordeal with GK Barry during a podcast episode.
One experience was particularly harrowing. Kaz explained she was in a cell with a woman and her young baby who was jailed for getting pregnant outside of wedlock. Describing it as one of the “lowest points of [her] whole life,” Kaz said the conditions of the jail were horrendous, revealing that she wasn’t given anything to wash with or even a change of clothes.
“Until I moved to the other jail and then that’s when I had a shower and saw myself in the mirror for the first time and I had a bald patch from my alopecia,” she recalled.
Former Apprentice star Luisa Zissman recently insisted she still thought Dubai was safer than the UK, despite the ongoing missile attacks in the Middle East – several of which have been aimed directly at the holiday hotspot.
Other influencers like Kady McDermott have been posting themselves sunbathing during the conflict, with Love Island star Montana Brown calling them out for their lack of common sense during what most residents in the UAE and surrounding areas will be finding terrifying.
“I am seeing so many influences posting from their sun loungers with their little f***ing tootsies out tanning at a hotel or tanning somewhere and being like, ‘it’s just terrifying’,” she said in a scathing rant on TikTok. “Well, I didn’t see you post anything about Palestine, and I didn’t see you post anything about Gaza, where, you know were actually destroying people’s houses.”
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East after Trump struck Iran shows little sign of abating, with most flights to and from Dubai either cancelled or severely delayed. Hundreds of tourists are thought to be left stranded, waiting to hear news on when they can return home.
So let’s just be clear, while Dubai might have safer crime rates overall, there are severe restrictions on everyday life that many take for granted in the UK. Also, let’s not forget those notorious ‘Porta Potty Parties’ that lure young women in search of a luxurious lifestyle…
READ MORE: Qatar Airways to remain grounded until Friday due to Middle East conflict
