The internet may be one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, but for all the convenience it’s brought, it’s also done something else – it's made us terrible at lying.
One of the most recent notorious examples came from a Coldplay concert this summer. A seemingly harmless kiss-cam moment turned into a full-blown viral saga. A couple, both high-ranking executives at the same company, were caught trying to hide from the camera, prompting Chris Martin to cheekily remark: "Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy." Turns out, they were having an affair.
The clip quickly went viral, the pair (and their families) were identified and both ended up resigning. All that secrecy, but pointless in an age when everyone not only has their phones out, but they are also quick to post to social media. And it’s not only a romantic scandal, creative theft also gets exposed just as quickly.
On a recent Egyptian talk show, a guest presenter and influencer showcased several European artworks, claiming them as her own. She almost got away with it until the original artists spotted their work online. The backlash was swift and public, and both the host and guest presenter had to apologise on air. Different languages don’t matter, because artists will always know their own work. The “I made it myself” lie doesn’t hold up when Instagram has dates and timestamps, and images can be reverse-searched in seconds.
Whether it’s getting caught cheating at a concert or passing off someone else’s work as your own, the internet has made it more likely than ever that you’ll be exposed. Some readers might not remember life before the web, but most millennials my age have at least a few pre-Internet memories, and yes, life was more simple back then. If you couldn’t be somewhere because you wanted to be elsewhere, there wasn’t the fear of getting caught via social media.
But these days, with all the ways someone can be caught in a lie, it still amazes me that people bother trying. Of course, not all lies are necessarily bad. Some might even be necessary. A well-timed fib can spare someone’s feelings, smooth over an awkward moment or help you gracefully exit a conversation you didn’t want to be in to begin with.
But lying about where you went to university or claiming job experience you don’t have … it’s almost brazen, if it weren’t so stupid. Especially now, when the internet makes fact-checking effortless. You don’t even need a computer; a smartphone can easily do the job.
Part of the problem is that people share so much online, it can be hard to keep things straight. Every post, photo or comment leaves a trail, and if one person doesn’t spot the lie, someone else will.
It’s not only technology that’s made lying harder, but the culture that’s been created. We live in a time where oversharing is normal, constant self-promotion is expected and every moment is documented for an audience. That combination makes people overconfident about curating a version of themselves that isn’t entirely real.
The thing is, anyone can get caught. Every day lies unravel online. Like the influencer who posted a shot of herself in Emirates business class, only for another passenger to upload a photo of her in the same outfit, sitting in a less glamorous seat towards the back. She later insisted there’s nothing wrong with flying economy, but her own staged image suggested she might feel otherwise.
Or another influencer who was spotted picking up trash on a beach for a video, only to be filmed by a passer-by leaving the trash bag and its contents on the beach after the video was finished.
Lying to impress others shouldn’t be the goal, but in an age where we share so much, it’s as if we don’t have anything to show off, then we shouldn’t be showing anything at all. In 2025, the advice isn’t “don’t get caught” it should be – don’t bother lying in the first place.
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Bullet%20Train
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Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
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RESULT
Everton 2 Huddersfield Town 0
Everton: Sigurdsson (47'), Calvert-Lewin (73')
Man of the Match: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Company%20Profile
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
