A widely shared video claiming to show a giant Santa Claus formed by thousands of drones near the Burj Khalifa during Christmas celebrations has been debunked as fake, according to a report by Khaleej Times.
What the viral video showed
The short clip, which crossed 36 million views across platforms, appeared to show a massive Santa Claus figure waving beside the Burj Khalifa. The video was circulated with captions praising Dubai’s multicultural and inclusive festive celebrations, leading many viewers to believe it was an authentic drone display.
The clip’s reach expanded further after it was reshared on X by Elon Musk, who posted it with a heart emoji, unintentionally lending credibility to the claim.
Clarification by Khaleej Times
However, Khaleej Times confirmed that the video does not depict a real event. The footage was created using visual effects and was not filmed during any official Christmas celebration in Dubai.
According to the report, the video was originally made in 2023 by UAE-based VFX artist Fawez Zayati. Zayati later clarified on Instagram that the clip was entirely fabricated. “I created this video two years ago; it’s fake,” he wrote, joking that he could also create a similar VFX video featuring Musk if requested.
Why many believed it was real
The video appeared convincingly authentic, seemingly filmed from the Souk Al Bahar area near Dubai Mall, with pedestrians visible in the frame. This level of detail contributed to confusion, even though the creator had initially disclosed it as a visual effects project.
Following backlash and concerns over misinformation, Zayati removed the video and urged users to verify content before resharing it.
Broader concerns over misinformation
Khaleej Times noted that the incident highlights the growing challenge of misinformation in the digital age. With rapid advances in VFX and artificial intelligence, highly realistic content can easily mislead viewers.
The report also referenced concerns raised by experts after major platforms such as Meta and X scaled back professional fact-checking teams, increasingly relying on user-led systems like Community Notes.