bert hubert 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇺🇦Sep 8, 2025
This is both terrifying and fascinating:
(UPDATE, this is from personal observation & post-emergency news reporting featuring WhatsApp screenshots from government people)
Show threadPaul
@bert_hubert it’s indeed quite terrifying but I can tell you that in the United Arab Emirates there is no discussion at all about leaving WhatsApp. And indeed, a lot of government services use WhatsApp too.
To the defence of the government of Emirates they do have excellent apps of their own like the UAEPASS and the UAEICP app.
Sep 8, 2025 at 7:22pmWeb
Show threadDennis MansellSep 8, 2025
@Paul_Harts @bert_hubert ...and some pretty restrictive policies in place https://freedomhouse.org/country/united-arab-emirates/freedom-net/2024
United Arab Emirates: Freedom on the Net 2024 Country Report | Freedom House

See the Freedom on the Net 2024 score and learn about democracy and freedom in United Arab Emirates.

Freedom House
Show threadPaulSep 9, 2025
@dennmans @bert_hubert I know this list and indeed the United Arab Emirates scores badly. The weird thing is that while being in the UAE, I can access pretty critical stuff about the UAE without a VPN.
(Off topic: the use of VPNs is a bit of a grey area, legally speaking, in the UAE).
Show threadDennis MansellSep 9, 2025
@Paul_Harts @bert_hubert well, at least ActivityPub is getting through!