DUBAI: Social media stars in Dubai are facing an online backlash after staging what they billed as the "biggest baby gender reveal ever" on the world's tallest building in Dubai.

While some were quick to congratulate Anas Marwah and Asala Maleh on their second child as the needle-like Burj Khalifa lit up in blue for a boy, others criticised the extravagant light show.

Gender reveal parties are held during pregnancy to unveil the sex of the expected child, sometimes announced by pink or blue smoke fireworks.

The Dubai show coincided with a deadly blaze in California ignited by a firework at a gender reveal party.

"What a waste!" said one Twitter user, after reports that the couple - whose families originally come from war-ravaged Syria - had spent tens of thousands of dollars on the stunt, allegations they denied.

"We want to do something special but also memorable," Asala said.

The video of the event has been popular. By Sunday, it had been viewed more than 19 million times on the family's YouTube account, which has more than 7.8 million followers.