DUBAI // In a country where a newborn baby was named "Facebook" in honour of the role played by the social networking site in coordinating a revolution, the esteem with which many Egyptians may hold Mark Zuckerberg cannot be overstated.
However, the real credit for the fall of a regime should lie with the hundreds of thousands who took to the streets in protest, one of the country's leading bloggers said yesterday.
At a debate in Dubai, Mahmoud Salem - better known to his 27,500 followers as "Sandmonkey" - said that the role of Facebook was overstated.
"It's fine to sign up to attend an event on Facebook, but if you don't have the same will to go out on the streets and actually follow up on it, it's useless," he said.
"It shouldn't be called a social media revolution. The initial call brought out half-a-million people. Then they shut down the internet and cell phones. The rest of the battle was fought on the street and through genuine human networking."
Mr Salem was in the emirate attending the inaugural session of Dubai Debates - an online video debate platform set up to foster discussion on topical issues in the Arab world.
"There's a critical mass of people all over the world who are participating in the discourse, it's interesting to bring them together," said Belabbes Benkredda, an Algerian-German who founded the start-up organisation.
The debate, entitled "Mark Zuckerberg - the new hero of the Arab people" created a lively discussion on the role of social media in demonstrations. Footage from yesterday will be broken into thematic sections then circulated on blogs and social networking sites to foster further debate, said Mr Benkredda.
Mr Salem, whose blog became a key mobilising force in the revolution, revealed his true identity shortly after being arrested and savagely beaten by security forces.
mcroucher@thenational.ae
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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.
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.