HOW SOCIAL MEDIA HACKS OUR SENSES

The Editors, 16.03.2026

A chocolate bar from Dubai, a viral video — and suddenly the world is queuing. The hype surrounding Dubai chocolate perfectly illustrates how social media not only accelerates food trends but also shapes expectations, desire and even our perception of taste.

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In December 2023, @mariavehera257 sits perfectly styled in her car and takes a generous bite of a chocolate bar. This is something the food influencer regularly does for her roughly three million followers. A dry, crisp crack can be heard; inside the bar, delicate golden strands stretch apart and a thick, glossy green filling begins to ooze out beneath them. Anyone watching can almost feel what it must be like: crunchy, creamy, rich, sweet — all at once. Maria Vehera, visibly overwhelmed by the experience, devours the bar bite by bite with evident pleasure.

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