Al Jazeera Allegedly Using Bots to Spread Propaganda While Skirting U.S. Law

A network of fake profiles is allegedly promoting antisemitic and anti-American propaganda on social media accounts associated with Qatar-owned Al Jazeera. The Combat Antisemitism Movement — a nonprofit that describes itself as “a united front against Jew hatred”— released a research report on December 4 in partnership with a social media analytics firm exposing hundreds of fake accounts that interact with Al Jazeera Plus (AJ+) content on X and TikTok. AJ+, a U.S.-based arm of the Al Jazeera Media Network, has attracted federal scrutiny for failing to register as a foreign agent of Qatar.

AJ+ in ‘Direct Violation’ of Platform Guidelines

AJ+ operates three X accounts: @ajplus, @ajplusarabi, and @ajplusfrancais. According to the December 4 research report — which examined social media activity between September 17 and November 17, 2024 — nearly one-third of the profiles engaging with these accounts “were identified as fake” and “consistently disseminated divisive narratives, with a strong emphasis on anti-Israel propaganda.” AJ+’s apparent “direct violation of X’s policies” adds to the Al Jazeera Media Network’s broader rap sheet, which is replete with evidence of propaganda and incitement to terror.

The network’s self-stated mission is to provide “accurate, in-depth, and compelling content that upholds the value of truth.” However, Al Jazeera regularly serves its Qatari patrons and their Islamist clients, including Hamas.

For example, Al Jazeera’s style guide instructs writers to use the term “martyr” to describe every Palestinian death without distinguishing between civilians and combatants. The word “occupation” is used to label all Israeli-controlled territory, including within the 1949 borders internationally recognized as the sovereign State of Israel.

Al Jazeera’s Role in the Gaza War

Hours after Hamas launched its October 7 assault, Al Jazeera broadcast a recording of Hamas military chief Mohammad Deif encouraging Palestinians to “kill, burn, destroy, and shut down roads” in Israel whether by “cleaver axe, Molotov cocktail, truck, tractor, or car.”

Israel’s communications ministry later said it had “proof” that Al Jazeera correspondents were “passing sensitive information to the enemy” about Israeli troop locations in Gaza. The IDF has exposed at least a half-dozen Al Jazeera reporters who moonlit as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists.

Moreover, documents recovered in Gaza indicate a symbiotic relationship between Al Jazeera and Iran-backed terrorist organizations that pre-dates the current war. One document from 2022 includes guidelines from Hamas directing Al Jazeera on how to report on a failed Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket launch. The document states that Al Jazeera complied.

AJ+ Must Register as A Foreign Agent of Qatar

AJ+ has yet to comply with a 2020 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) order to register as a foreign agent that cited the platform’s “political activities” on behalf of the government of Qatar. In February, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting information regarding the “administration, enforcement, and recordkeeping practices associated with delays or decisions not to enforce FARA compliance.”

The incoming Trump administration must ensure that AJ+ complies with U.S. law by registering as a foreign agent of Qatar. The new Congress should also press ahead with a February 2023 initiative to suspend the Al Jazeera Media Network’s Capitol Hill press credentials “until the State of Qatar and its propaganda arm agree to adhere to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and other U.S. laws.”

Natalie Ecanow is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Natalie and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Natalie on X @NatalieEcanow. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on foreign policy and national security.