@marcowenjones.bsky.social
Associate Professor Northwestern University in Qatar | Studies Disinfo, Digital Repression & Gulf Politics | Author Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East (Hurst & OUP) Political Repression in Bahrain (Cambridge University Press) | Cat Fancier
@marcowenjones.bsky.social PinnedExtremely exciting news.
New report out: Enabling Atrocity in the MENA and #Sudan
The report documents three large-scale influence networks operating across MENA on X/Twitter, involving 27,000+ inauthentic accounts and over 250,000 posts across multiple languages.
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialWhat are the risks of turning to AI for news? This is one of a few questions I address in my spotlight interview with Doha Debates - Check it out here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2CO... #Disinformation
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialOperation Bogus Bylines: The pro-Iran network of fake journalists and the outlets that published their articles
A closer look at the network documented by OpenAI.
@marcowenjones.bsky.social"My fear is that humans are going to be increasingly robotic."- Marc Owen Jones
On this week's Doha Debates Podcast, experts discuss the crisis in modern journalism.
@hurstpublishers.bsky.socialReposted by @marcowenjones.bsky.socialSample 'Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East' by @marcowenjones.bsky.social here & pre-order the paperback 👉 tinyurl.com/yjs6br2e
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialIt was great chatting and occasionally arguing (civilly of course) with everyone at Doha Debates. Watch to see more of myself, Dima Khatib, Peter Oborne, Mohamed Hassan and Richard Sambrook Watch our podcast here!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnBx...
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialRead a sample of my book here! #DigitalAuthoritarianism
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialExcited to announce my book will be out in paperback soon!
@hurstpublishers.bsky.socialReposted by @marcowenjones.bsky.social📚 Plus 'new in paperback' editions from:
@marcowenjones.bsky.social
@shafikmeghji.bsky.social
@olivierschmitt.bsky.social
@maryfissell.bsky.social
@marenmein.bsky.social
@askwilliamblake.bsky.social
@kieranconnell.bsky.social
@vjmalletft.bsky.social
@warmatters.bsky.social
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialI speak to Marwa Khalid about my investigation into a large influence operation using ads on LinkedIn and Meta to target Europe and the Middle East with UAE-aligned narratives about #Sudan youtu.be/394bvk5zMAQ?...
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialPleased to announce that I will be the Managing Editor of the newly launched journal, Misinformation Studies. Thanks Ahmed Al-Rawi for the invitation to be part of it, I look forward to working with you and Bruce Mutsvairo! #disinformation emerald.com/ms
@marcowenjones.bsky.social@marcowenjones.bsky.socialSatellite view of Tal as-Sultan, Rafah, Oct 2023 and then 2026.
In this small area (~450m × 700m): roughly 1,000 - 1,300 small apartments. Approx 3-6000 homes destroyed, with 15000-35000 people displaced or killed.
And that's just one neighbourhood in Gaza
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialReposted by @marcowenjones.bsky.social1/ I've just finished a new investigation, and it's a biggie!
If you've seen The Levantine, Diplomatic Post, Global Reporters or Frontline Radar running ads on LinkedIn or Meta, you've seen an influence op pushing one side of Sudan's war to millions. 🧵
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialNew investigation. I investigated Red Sea Axis, a mysterious media network pushing a strongly pro-Türkiye, pro-Sudanese army and anti-UAE line in the Horn of Africa.
Fake journalists. Stolen photos. Repurposed social media accounts...👉
marcowenjones.substack.com/p/the-other-... #OSINT
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialThe UK needs to realise that disinformation from allied states is also a problem. If you only understand disinformation as something done by adversarial states then you don't understand disinformation www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialExcited to announce that my book, Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East, will have a paperback edition next year! #disinformation
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialThis is a strange development. The influence operation targeting the EU and MENA region about Sudan last week has had a change of sponsor. Some of the ads now are being paid for by "Ocean Trend Logistics Limited" - potentially a hacked ad account, or a chinese shipping company🧐
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialInvestigation reveals two North Macedonian directors, thirteen accounts, twenty-seven bylines, 3,708 AI-assisted articles and 558 ads across LinkedIn and Meta.
marcowenjones.substack.com/p/from-north...
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialSomeone has been running an anti-Qatar, anti muslim and anti migrant campaign for 3 years. Me and
@sohandsouza.info
have been tracking it. But Israel are saying the plug was pulled back in 2023....
Smoke and mirrors imo.
My comments in Al Jazeera
www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/...
@marcowenjones.bsky.socialsad to see - it would be useful to know how he was approached and who approached him
