If you see warnings from Gulf authorities about posting war footage on social media, take them seriously. For all the region’s advances in economic development, education, technology, and leisure, bastions of free speech they are not. In wartime — when adversaries mine social media for intelligence about targeting accuracy and air defense capabilities — officials are especially sensitive.
The prohibitions are expansive: Dubai Police has warned against “sharing rumors, false information, or any content that contradicts official announcements or that may cause public panic or threaten public safety, order, or health.” Violators could face at least two years in prison and fines of more than $50,000.
A British tourist was reportedly arrested in Dubai after allegedly filming missiles during an attack. Not everyone who posts will end up behind bars and many cases end with pardons. But those who do get caught end up experiencing the Gulf’s penal system for at least a while, which is something most tourists and residents would prefer to avoid.
— Mohammed Sergie