Research has uncovered that some 1900 X (formerly Twitter) bots are at work to greenwash the image of the current COP28 presidency as environment-friendly.
Marc Owen Jones, associate professor of Middle East Studies at Hamad bin Khalifa University, whose recent work focuses on how social media has been used to spread disinformation and fake news in the Middle East, has identified a larger network of 7,000 bots which align with UAE foreign policy.
The researcher has so far identified 22 generals who kickstart the conversation and more than 1,850 accounts that function as minions, amplifying the content generated by the general accounts. The bots engage in posting content on various issues to create a sense of authenticity about these AI-powered accounts.
While the UAE affiliation has not been explicitly confirmed, Owen’s work suggests an affiliation in line with common trends observed in cyber operations. “The content revolves around praising ADNOC Chief and COP President-designate Sultan Al Jaber, along with promoting a positive image of the UAE and COP28, positioning them as environmentally responsible entities”, reads a statement by Owen. Jaber is the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil and speculation has been rife that he was trying to broker oil deals on the eve of the conference.
Owen’s other findings include the organisation of bots into units or cells, each assigned to like tweets by specific generals, potentially as a measure to avoid detection by X.
General accounts which are also verified on Twitter, such as bint_jumeiraah and BkhetaElbasbosy, play a significant role and receive more engagement. BkhetaElbasbosy's profile picture, traced back to a TikTok account, adds authenticity.