Staff Writer

The social networking giant, Twitter,  on Thursday announced that it had removed 50 accounts spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation on Libya’s “civilian government”. It had also removed thousands of accounts originating from Russia, which had sought to spread Russian propaganda on Libya and Syria, and thousands of others spreading a Chinese view on Beijing’s horrendous treatment of the Uighurs.

In June, Twitter announced that it had removed 6 000 accounts spreading propaganda on behalf of the AK party and Turkish government, and in December 2019, removed around 6000 accounts spreading false information representing Saudi Arabia in the Kingdom’s then spat, with Qatar. Further, in 2020 it removed a further 5000 accounts spreading Saudi propaganda on Qatar, and the Saudi war in Yemen, as the Mohammed bin Salman regime continues to use the platform for propaganda purposes and to target dissidents; even critics of the Saudi takeover of New Castle United football club have not been spared, with bot accounts targeting them as being intolerant.

Although this seems progressive on the social network’s side, Twitter in February removed the verified status on accounts linked to jailed Saudi clerics Awad al Qarni, Ali al Omari, and philanthropist Khaled Al Mohawesh, for supposed ‘inactivity’. Omari and Qarni were arrested in 2017, mainly since they were not supportive of MBS’s attempt to blockade Qatar, and advocated for dialogue. These accounts, and the views promoted by both dissidents and autocratic regimes, have proven quite difficult to police, especially in a context of sometimes contested truths, and where regimes have much financial and diplomatic leverage. In 2019, it was established that employees at the social network were paid by Saudi Arabia to provide the regime with information on accounts. Twitter has been more active, with Facebook not complying, and often being complicit in allowing the spread of right-wing views to generate conversation, and, more importantly, revenue for the company.