Twitter Removes Over 88,000 Accounts Linked to Saudi-Backed Disinformation Campaign

Tens of thousands of accounts participating in “platform manipulation” have been banned by Twitter after the site discovered the profiles were part of a “significant state-backed information operation” with Saudi origins.

Twitter announced Friday that at least 88,000 accounts “engaged in spammy behavior across a wide range of topics” were permanently suspended from the social media platform.

According to the release, the operation was traced back to Saudi Arabia, and most accounts within the network amplified favorable messages pertaining to the Middle Eastern country’s authorities through “aggressive liking, retweeting and replying.” Though the accounts primarily engaged with Arabic-language content, Twitter revealed the network also magnified events relevant to Western users – such as the “discussion around sanctions in Iran and appearances by Saudi government officials in Western media.”

However, these were not the only tactics utilized by the group. The social media platform said the network’s accounts would post “helpful content,” like weather updates or crisis response information, to lure individuals into following their profiles. Twitter argued that this practice made it difficult for netizens to separate the fraudulent accounts’ non-political tweets from politicized content.

The release noted Smaat managed several Twitter accounts of “high-profile individuals,” including profiles belonging to Saudi government officials.

Sourse: sputniknews.com