Using Digital Surveillance to Improve PR Strategies: Strengthening Trust, Media Relations, and Crisis Communication in the UAE

This research examines the effect of digital surveillance in PR practices on strategic communication in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Theoretically supported by the Surveillance Capitalism Theory, data is gathered from 376 UAE public relations (PR) professionals using a structured questionnaire. The study found that digital surveillance positively impacts public trust, media relations, and crisis communication in public relations. It improves public trust (p<0.000) and media interactions (p<0.000). It is found that digital surveillance allows PR professionals to address public concerns, building greater trust with the audience. It helps provide more accurate and relevant information, enabling PR teams to quickly identify and rectify misinformation and promoting a stronger trust relationship with the public. Besides, it is also found that digital surveillance improves PR professionals' ability to monitor media trends and understand media sentiment, improving interactions with journalists and media outlets. It helps draft timely press releases and determine key media influencers, maintaining media relationships. Finally, the impact on crisis communication also remained positively significant (p<0.000), implying that digital surveillance helps PR teams recognize crises early, provide timely updates, and monitor public sentiment, improving crisis communication. It is concluded that the significance of digital surveillance lies in its ability to improve public trust, improve media relations, and promote crisis communication strategies. This suggests more research to help PR professionals adapt to new challenges and use digital tools to promote stronger public and media relations.