Unpacking Islamophobia with Marc Owen Jones

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Marc Owen Jones, an expert on disinformation and digital authoritarianism, about how disinformation networks spread Islamophobic content online. We explore what disinformation is, how governments weaponize it for political gain, and the real-world consequences of false information. Dr. Jones shares his research on the Qatar Plot and the network of Emirati “dysinfluencers” who have amplified Islamophobic discourse across Europe. He concludes with insights into how disinformation may evolve as digital platforms, AI, and geopolitical tensions continue to shift.

Read more about The Qatar Plot here.

Read Marc’s piece on Amjad Taha here.

Bio: Marc Owen Jones is an associate professor of media analytics at Northwestern University in Qatar. His research and teaching examine disinformation, digital authoritarianism, and political repression, with a particular focus on how transnational influence operations, harassment campaigns, and digital control mechanisms emerge from—or target—the Middle East. He is the author of two single-authored monographs: Political Repression in Bahrain (Cambridge University Press, 2020) and Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation, and Social Media (Hurst / Oxford University Press, 2022). Alongside his scholarly research, Jones is widely known for pioneering investigations into coordinated disinformation and harassment campaigns. His work has exposed networks of fake journalists, state-aligned bot operations targeting Western policymakers, and cross-platform influence efforts aimed at journalists, academics, and activists.