Aniela "Lil Masti" Wozniakowska recently visited the United Arab Emirates. On June 3, she shared a story and posts from Abu Dhabi on Instagram as part of her sponsored trip. The influencer's journey is a part of the 'Experience Abu Dhabi' campaign, organised by the government's Department of Culture and Tourism.

There has been discussion on social media about the ethical problems surrounding this partnership. It appears not everyone is aware of the origin of the controversy. Fitness influencer Wiktoria Jaroniewska asked, "What are they criticising her for?" to which Maja Staśko responded, "For promoting a place built on the slave labour and death of people, and a regime that violates human rights."

Many of the influencer's followers tried to downplay the allegations that promoting Abu Dhabi was unethical. One commenter wrote, "It means you can't go anywhere because every country has its own bad story." However, the issue with the Emirates is not just about the past but also about the present.

In Human Rights Watch's 2023 report, we can read: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) invests in a strategy to paint the country as progressive, tolerant, and rights-respecting while carrying out repression against dissent. Many activists and dissidents remain detained for exercising their rights to free expression and association.

UAE law imposes a mandatory minimum 15-year prison sentence for "damaging the reputation or prestige of the President" and life imprisonment for involvement in a demonstration "with the aim of… infringing on public order." Paying influencers from the West for content is part of the UAE's strategy to improve its image.

The lack of freedom of expression is not the only human rights issue in the Emirates. Amnesty International has long reported on the mistreatment of migrant workers in the UAE, who make up 85% of the population. These workers often toil on construction sites or serve as domestic workers for wealthy Emirati families. The UAE has the weakest protection of labour rights in the Arabian Peninsula. For example, there are no limits on working hours in extreme heat, which can reach 50 degrees Celsius, and there is no statutory minimum wage for workers.

The actions and policies of the UAE are inconsistent with its stated commitment to keeping climate change within the internationally agreed limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. ADNOC, one of the world's largest hydrocarbon producers, announced plans in 2023 to aggressively increase fossil fuel production. The Emirates is the world's second-largest emitter of CO2 into the atmosphere when population is taken into account (after Qatar).

Someone aptly commented on one of Lil Masti’s many Dubai posts: "No one is talking about avoiding travel abroad. Travelling and visiting other countries is important, but we should also educate ourselves about the places we visit. Writing about how Dubai inspires you to aim high is out of place, to say the least because what Dubai shows is how the rich exploit the poor in an extremely cruel way. When travelling, we can't be ignorant tourists who make use of all-inclusive vacations and know nothing about the countries we are in."