A war and conflict expert has warned that attempts by Dubai authorities to crack down on what’s being shared about the conflict in the Middle East are reaching authoritarian territory.

Dr Ayesha Jehangir says while there is likely truth in the emirate’s goal of cracking down on the sharing of unverified footage, residents face serious consequences, including up to five years in prison.

“They do like to present it as trying to stop an attempt at stopping the spread of unverified footage or commentary, but it’s actually trying to control the narrative that grows out of these of these regions,” she said.

She also warns the widespread use of AI has “significantly” lowered the barrier to producing convincing misinformation.

“You don’t need to be a certain person in a certain place with a certain access to be able to use things, so it adds another layer of complexity,” she added.

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