As tensions over free speech between US social media firms and European legislators increase, the negative commercial consequences of viral fake news have been highlighted by Emirates Airline.
In fake footage being shared online, two aircraft bearing the UAE flag carrier’s livery are shown on fire and crash landing – depictions of events that Emirates has categorically said are “alarming”, “fabricated”, and “untrue”.
Unfair reputational damage
The Dubai headquartered airline has in fact enjoyed an outstanding safety record over the nearly four decades since its launch in 1985. It has suffered only one recorded incident, in 2016, which led to the death of a firefighter, who boarded the Boeing 777-300 flight from India to Dubai after it caught fire following a crashlanding. All 300 passengers and crew were safely deboarded.
But due to the circulation of the false footage, Emirates has clearly become concerned about unfair reputational damage. The firm said in an official statement that it had tried to make TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter) remove the potentially defamatory videos but had failed.
“We are in contact with the various social media platforms to remove the video or make clear that it is digitally created footage to avoid false and alarming information from circulating. Unfortunately, the platforms’ responses to such content review requests are not quick enough, therefore necessitating this statement,” the carrier said. “Safety is core to Emirates’ brand and operations, and we regard such matters with utmost seriousness. We urge all audiences to always check and refer to official sources,” the airline’s statement went on.
We are aware of a video circulating on social media depicting an Emirates plane crash. Emirates confirms it is fabricated content and untrue.
— Emirates (@emirates) January 4, 2025
We are in contact with the various social media platforms to remove the video or make clear that it is digitally created footage to avoid…
Accuracy and truth in the hands of platform users
The unusual denouncement of the fake footage comes as European legislators continue to grapple with US tech firms that do not adhere to European legal standards on free speech. Elon Musk, who owns X, has been accused of attempted interference in European democracies as well as incitement to violence due to his tendency to “tweet first think later.” And Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Meta (Facebook’s umbrella), announced recently that the social platform would be scrapping fact-checkers in favour of an ad-hoc “community notes” approach to truth and accuracy.
For Emirates, that means placing its commercial reputation in the hands of members of social platforms themselves, relying on them to point out that the plane crash videos circulating are AI-generated and untrue. According to SoyaCincau several videos are still doing the rounds on TikTok, with no warning about manipulated or fake content.
