Three-Year Investigation Uncovers Multi-Million Dollar Influence Operation Targeting Europe and Qatar
A paid-for digital influence campaign costing more than $11 million deployed racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Qatar narratives across 30 countries over a three-year period. Published on Thursday, a joint investigation by two academics revealed that the network used social media advertisements on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook to generate at least 533 million exposures between October 2023 and October 2026.
The report, titled Manufacturing the “Great Replacement”, was authored by Marc Owen Jones, a professor at Northwestern University’s Doha campus, and independent researcher Sohan Dsouza. The academics described the project as perhaps one of the biggest digital influence and disinformation operations ever documented.
Evidence gathered by the researchers points with moderate to high confidence that the network originated within Israel, utilizing metadata with Hebrew drive and folder names alongside video editors operating in the Israeli time zone.
Targeted Ad Placements Align With European Electoral Calendars
The influence operation strategically timed its advertisement spending to coincide with major political votes in target nations. France accounted for roughly one-third of all ad placements, representing the highest share among targeted countries, according to the findings. Ad purchases in France ran heavily through the months leading up to the June 2024 European Parliament elections. In the United Kingdom, where ads generated 154 million exposures—the highest total volume recorded—spending abruptly ceased on May 17, 2024, days before the general election was called. The United States followed closely behind with 100 million exposures.
Jones noted that the European-facing advertisements deliberately appropriated the structure of the Great Replacement conspiracy theory. Instead of targeting figures as traditional anti-Semitic versions do, the campaign positioned Qatar as a hidden power directing Muslim immigration to allegedly Islamise Europe. Separately, a TikTok campaign aimed at European audiences pushed for regime change in Iran starting on February 24, four days prior to the launch of war on the country by the US and Israel.
Prior Disclosures and Political Fallout Surrounding Doha
The investigation’s release coincides with heightened political friction involving Qatar across several nations. Last month, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that a specialized group of Israeli influence experts and political advisors operated a secret campaign targeting Doha in the weeks following the October 7, 2023, attacks led by Hamas. Israeli politicians have repeatedly criticized Qatar in recent years, with Naftali Bennett previously calling for the state to be officially declared an enemy state.
More recently, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Doha of interfering in Israeli elections, though it provided no evidence to support the claim. In response, the Qatari Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as a disinformation campaign. Meanwhile, the report warns that the digital influence operation remains active in countries facing major elections, specifically pointing toward upcoming votes in France and Italy in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Disinformation Report
What specific evidence links the influence operation to Israel?
The report points to digital metadata showing that video editors working on the campaign operated within the Israeli time zone and utilized computer systems featuring Hebrew drive and folder names.
How many total impressions did the social media advertisements generate?
The researchers uncovered at least 533 million exposures of advertisements promoting anti-Muslim, anti-migrant, racist, and anti-Qatar views between October 2023 and October 2026.
Which countries received the highest volume of ad placements and exposures?
France accounted for about one-third of total advertisement placements, making it the most targeted country by share. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom recorded the highest number of exposures at 154 million, followed by the United States at 100 million.
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