Several influencers who had been posting videos from Neom, a futuristic urban development project in Saudi Arabia, have either closed their social media accounts or gone private after facing backlash and mockery online. These influencers, mostly expats or wives of expats, had been promoting seemingly utopian lives in Neom through videos on platforms like TikTok. Despite allegations of paid marketing, a spokesperson for Neom denied paying influencers for content creation.
The Neom project, first announced in 2017, has drawn international attention and scrutiny for alleged human rights violations and environmental concerns. The videos posted by these influencers portrayed Neom as a modern and advanced city, but viewers online were not convinced, comparing it to a company town or a space mining colony dining hall.
The construction camp depicted in these videos differs significantly from the futuristic metropolis advertised in official Neom promotions. Researchers noted a disconnect between the proposed vision of the project and the reality on the ground, which is a common pattern in mega-development projects worldwide.
The Neom project, part of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the country’s economy, has faced controversy, including allegations of forced evictions of indigenous villagers and corruption among executives. The project is seen as a reflection of Crown Prince Mohammed’s attempts to reshape Saudi Arabia’s reputation on the global stage. Despite efforts to promote Neom as a high-tech, sustainable city, the reality portrayed in influencer videos has raised questions about the true nature of the project.
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