Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, dives into the intriguing world of digital authoritarianism in the Middle East. Drawing from his experiences in Bahrain and beyond, he discusses how social media is weaponized through bots and disinformation to manipulate public opinion. Personal anecdotes reveal the risks researchers face while studying state-backed digital manipulation. Jones also shares practical strategies for activists to enhance their online safety, while underlining the vital need to grasp this evolving digital landscape.
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insights INSIGHT
Global Supply Chains of Digital Authoritarianism
Digital authoritarianism extends beyond states to a trade involving companies in democratic countries selling repression tech.
Authoritarian powers like Saudi Arabia and UAE use these tools regionally and internationally to manipulate and control.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Fake Coup Narrative in Qatar
A fake coup in Qatar during the 2017 blockade was spread widely on social media as truth.
This showed how mass repetition could create a false narrative believed by many and impacting real-world reactions.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Fake Journalists Influence Media
Mark Owen Jones and a journalist uncovered 25 fake journalists using stolen and AI-generated photos.
These fake identities fooled editors into publishing over 100 articles worldwide, showing the ease of digital deception.
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Mark Owen Jones's "Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East" examines the use of digital technologies by authoritarian regimes to control information, suppress dissent, and consolidate power. The book explores the strategies employed by governments to manipulate social media, spread propaganda, and censor critical voices. Jones analyzes the impact of these tactics on freedom of expression, political participation, and social movements. He highlights the challenges faced by activists and journalists in navigating these increasingly restrictive digital environments. The book offers valuable insights into the evolving relationship between technology, power, and authoritarianism in the Middle East.
This Is Not Propaganda
Adventures in the War Against Reality
Peter Pomeransev
In 'This Is Not Propaganda,' Peter Pomerantsev delves into the world of disinformation and propaganda, exploring how these tactics have been used to shape reality and undermine democracy. The book blends reportage, family history, and intellectual adventure, taking readers from Russia to the Philippines, Ukraine, and the United States. Pomerantsev meets various figures, including Twitter revolutionaries, pop-up populists, and 'behavioral change' salesmen, to understand the mechanisms of modern propaganda. He argues that the manipulation of truth is a global issue, not limited to Russia, and that it affects individuals' deepest thoughts and feelings. The book also discusses efforts to counter these propaganda techniques and restore faith in democracy and factual information.
In the latest episode of Unlocking Academia, host Raja Aderdor sits down with Marc Owen Jones, associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, to explore the complex world of digital deception in the Middle East, as outlined in his book Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation and Social Media (Hurst/Oxford UP, 2021).
Marc draws on years of experience growing up in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as well as living and working in Sudan, Syria, Germany, and the UK. His perspective offers both depth and global context. In the episode, he discusses how social media has become a tool for manipulation, with bots, fake accounts, and disinformation campaigns shaping public discourse and limiting civil society. The conversation explores how these tactics function, their consequences, and the growing challenge of digital authoritarianism.
Timely and insightful, this episode highlights the importance of understanding the role of digital technologies in shaping truth, politics, and media in the Middle East and beyond.
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New Books in Middle Eastern Studies 
