Twitter bans Saudi-linked accounts impersonating Qatari figures
Twitter bans Saudi-linked accounts impersonating Qatari figures
The social media giant said the accounts were tied to the Saudi government.
2 min read
Twitter also shut down more than 100 accounts linked to Iran [Getty]
said on Thursday it had 33 accounts linked to the Saudi government that impersonated key political figures from Qatar.
"These accounts were created to impersonate key political figures and to advance narratives about Qatari politics which are geostrategically favorable to the authorities," the micro-blogging site said in a statement.
The accounts were deleted as part of a wide-ranging campaign to tackle state-linked disinformation on Twitter.
The latest sweep also saw the of more than 100 accounts linked to Iran.
"These accounts were created to impersonate key political figures and to advance narratives about Qatari politics which are geostrategically favorable to the authorities," the micro-blogging site said in a statement.
The accounts were deleted as part of a wide-ranging campaign to tackle state-linked disinformation on Twitter.
The latest sweep also saw the of more than 100 accounts linked to Iran.
"We identified a network of primarily compromised accounts on Twitter operating from Iran, which artificially amplified conversations on politically sensitive topics, including Black Lives Matter (BLM), the murder of George Floyd, and other issues of racial and social justice in the United States," the social media giant said.
Last week, Twitter deleted nearly 130 accounts it said were linked to the Islamic Republic and had attempted to "disrupt the public conversation" during the US presidential debate.
In April, the micro-blogging site said it had more than 5,000 accounts and around 2,500 Egyptian accounts it said were involved in pushing pro-government stances and "amplifying messaging critical of Iran, Qatar and Turkey".
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have imposed a political and economic blockade on Qatar for the past three years.
The Gulf states and their allies abruptly severed ties with Doha in June 2017, banning Qatari planes from their airspace, closing the Gulf state's only land border with Saudi Arabia, and expelling Qatari citizens.
The alliance accuses Qatar of backing Islamist extremists and Iran, allegations that Doha has strongly denied.
Follow us on , and to stay connected
In April, the micro-blogging site said it had more than 5,000 accounts and around 2,500 Egyptian accounts it said were involved in pushing pro-government stances and "amplifying messaging critical of Iran, Qatar and Turkey".
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have imposed a political and economic blockade on Qatar for the past three years.
The Gulf states and their allies abruptly severed ties with Doha in June 2017, banning Qatari planes from their airspace, closing the Gulf state's only land border with Saudi Arabia, and expelling Qatari citizens.
The alliance accuses Qatar of backing Islamist extremists and Iran, allegations that Doha has strongly denied.
Follow us on , and to stay connected
Ìý
![A woman walks in front of a shop selling traditional items in the Old City of Tripoli on September 11, 2024. [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2170635815.jpeg?h=37b4805e&itok=kF1qZ0zU)
![On 20 October 2023, nationwide protests broke out in support Gaza, commencing from Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square, which witnessed the advent of the 25 January Revolution.Ìý[Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/1734956488.jpeg?h=a5f2f23a&itok=GtuR6xnJ)
