Why fake news about the UAE's golden visa should give us all pause

This week, the UAE authorities moved to correct some inaccurate overseas reporting that fuelled a frenzy of speculation about the golden visa. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Since 2019, when the UAE introduced its 10-year residency programme – usually referred to as the golden visa – hundreds of thousands of people have obtained one. The visa’s popularity should not be surprising; it empowers people to put down roots in a country that has a booming economy and job market, an increasingly accessible property ladder, first-class schools and health care as well as an enviable reputation for safety and stability.

That popularity can have its drawbacks, too, as some try to benefit illicitly from its appeal. This week, UAE authorities moved to correct some inaccurate overseas reporting that fuelled a frenzy of speculation about the golden visa. In a statement, the government denied that the visas could be purchased for a one-time fee of Dh100,000 ($27,229), following widespread claims in Indian media of a scheme said to be aimed at Indian citizens. Some reports had claimed the scheme would be extended to Bangladeshi citizens as well.

Earlier this week, federal immigration authorities also had to deny the UAE was issuing golden visas to cryptocurrency investors after a blockchain technology company suggested on social media that such investors could secure the 10-year residence by paying a one-off fee.

UAE says reports of Dh100,000 golden visas for certain nationalities are false

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Excitement about the visa and its evolving requirements are understandable, but these incidents should make people take stock about the news they consume – and share. This is easier said than done. We live in a digital age in which the sheer volume of information, unceasingly sent, shared and reshared through handheld devices, makes it difficult and time consuming for the average person to apply an appropriate level of scepticism.

And yet, this is exactly what needs to happen. Although news organisations and social media platforms can – and should – do more to establish the veracity of the stories they are disseminating, the ultimate responsibility for scrutiny lies with each person. We must each act responsibly in how we consume and spread information. Many schools in the UAE and abroad are already incorporating digital literacy into their curriculum, equipping the next generation with the nous and critical thinking necessary to navigate this information age.

Although news organisations and social media platforms can – and should – do more to establish the veracity of the stories they are disseminating, the ultimate responsibility for scrutiny lies with us

But there is a long way to go and considerable challenges still to be met. During the recent conflict between Iran and Israel, inaccurate information about airspace closures and missile strikes was circulated across millions of smartphones. Increasingly, such messages and reports are the result of deliberate attempts to confuse and distort the media space; during the war, Israeli threat intelligence firm Radware reported a significant rise in co-ordinated disinformation.

Echo chambers, algorithms, filter bubbles … it can all seem like too much for the general reader to deal with. In a sense, it is – the speed and volume of information at this stage of the 21st century is unprecedented in human history. But this fact only makes it more important that we collectively examine our biases, exercise some common sense and pause before sharing what seems like a great story.