Dubai Police has warned that some online images and videos that look like real recordings may be generated by artificial intelligence, including deepfakes that imitate real people, voices and events. Its advice is to verify the source before you share, and to treat awareness as the first line of defence. This guide turns that advice into a checklist.
- No single sign proves a clip is fake, so check the source rather than relying on how it looks.
- The riskiest clips trigger a strong emotion and spread fast.
- If you cannot verify it, do not share it.
A five-step check
- Pause. Shock, outrage or urgency is the usual hook.
- Find the earliest upload. Reposts, compilations and anonymous accounts are weak sources.
- Check the account. Is it a named person or an organisation with a history, or a new page?
- Look for official confirmation. If it claims to show a public incident, the police or the relevant authority will usually have said something.
- Check the date and place. Old footage is often recycled as new.
Why it matters
Fake clips can damage reputations, trigger panic and be used in scams, for example a fake video of a known person promoting an investment. Sharing false content can also carry legal risk in the UAE. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021, reports describe penalties of at least a year in prison and AED 100,000 for spreading false information online that contradicts official sources, rising in a crisis. See our guide to verifying news before you share it. This is general information, not legal advice.
1 thought on “AI-Generated Fake Videos in the UAE: How to Check a Clip Before You Share It”