Social media influencers have been ranked as the most distrusted profession in the United Arab Emirates for the first time, according to Insight Discovery’s seventh annual Worst Reputation in the UAE survey.
The list, traditionally led by credit card issuers and recruitment firms, saw a major shift this year as 21 percent of respondents named influencers as having the worst reputation.
Telemarketers and call centres followed with 19 percent, credit card issuers with 13 percent, recruitment firms with 11 percent, and real estate agents with 8 percent.
Insight Discovery attributed the rise of influencers in the rankings to concerns over undisclosed promotions, lack of transparency, and misleading advice, particularly from so-called “finfluencers” who promote unregulated investment schemes.
“The rise of influencers to the top of this list is a clear wake-up call for the industry,” said Nigel Sillitoe, CEO of Insight Discovery. “As audiences tire of the behaviour of some influencers and grow more conscious of the risks linked to unregulated online advice, the demand for greater transparency and accountability has never been stronger.”
He added that the licensing regime recently introduced by the UAE government and the Securities and Commodities Authority for financial influencers was a key step toward rebuilding trust and protecting consumers.
For some content creators, the credibility crisis is personal. Syrian-Canadian influencer Lana Kaati, who has over 51,000 followers and has been creating content in the UAE for a decade, said she was not surprised by the results.
“The quality of content has dropped in recent years. Many newcomers treat influencing as quick cash, free gifts, or just a fun side gig. They’re not in it to tell a story that creates real impact within the community,” Kaati said.
She added that some influencers rely heavily on pre-written material from agencies without doing their own research, which damages credibility.
“I’ve started saying no to many campaigns because of how people perceive influencers today — and also because of how I see other influencers promoting content. I don’t want to be in the same basket, so I’ve become very selective about what I present.”
