Cyber Flies Exploit 'Hot Files' to Execute Nefarious Agendas

Social media platforms have become battlegrounds for a new kind of warfare targeting Arab nations, particularly the UAE. Over the past two years, coordinated disinformation campaigns powered by AI-driven bot networks have spread false narratives about countries' foreign policies, especially during crises in Gaza and Sudan. These attacks aim to undermine stable, economically successful nations by fabricating stories and manipulating public opinion through what experts call "electronic flies" – fake accounts designed to sow discord.

The UAE has faced intense scrutiny despite providing over $600 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan and $1.8 billion through "Operation Gallant Knight 3" for Gaza relief. While the country built hospitals, transported wounded civilians, and delivered thousands of tons of aid, disinformation campaigns questioned its motives and painted false narratives about its involvement in regional conflicts.

This pattern isn't unique to the UAE. Egypt faced hostile demonstrations at its embassies worldwide over Gaza, while Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan encountered similar doubt-casting campaigns about their political positions. The common thread is systematic execution through social media platforms that create artificial consensus against targeted nations.

A New Form of Warfare

Political analyst Abdul Aziz Al-Maamari describes this as "a war of a new kind, using rumors, fabricated clips, and fake accounts." These aren't random outbursts from angry individuals but systematic operations by external entities using unprecedented media amplification techniques.

The strategy is clear: create a false story, crop an image, launch a hashtag, then let social media crowds consume the bait. In moments, lies become convictions, slander becomes opinion, and fake accounts become sources. Al-Maamari notes this "electronic flies" phenomenon is more dangerous than real flies because it attempts to poison minds.

During Gaza's crisis, while the UAE was building hospitals and sending documented aid verified by UN reports, hostile campaigns refused to acknowledge an Arab nation fulfilling its humanitarian duties without political grandstanding. The goal wasn't helping Gaza's people but attacking the UAE's position, credibility, and international standing.

The Sudan Example

The same pattern repeated with Sudan. While the UAE became the largest humanitarian donor to Sudan according to UN testimony, supporting international ceasefire efforts, opposing campaigns created parallel narratives trying to drag the UAE into conflicts that existed only in the imagination of agenda-driven groups.

This represents what Al-Maamari calls "pathetic political practice" – when regimes and groups fail to manage their own countries, they seek external scapegoats to blame for their failures. Social media has become the easiest and fastest way to spread such narratives.

Building Digital Immunity

Researcher Moza Al-Marzouqi from Trends Research Center explains how technological advancement and the shift from traditional news sources to social media created fertile ground for spreading rumors and misleading statements across geographical and cultural boundaries.

This widespread phenomenon has burdened societies, especially with absent strict legal regulations protecting individuals and communities from value manipulation. Directed media campaigns, often following entities with specific political agendas, use electronic manipulation to spread misleading content aimed at sowing discord.

Al-Marzouqi emphasizes the necessity of enhancing critical thinking values in societies, particularly among youth, to distinguish between reliable news sources and fake content following special agendas. Community awareness isn't optional but a vital societal necessity contributing to immunizing minds against falling into rumor traps aimed at destabilizing national stability.

The Awareness Battle

Sudanese journalist Aida Al-Qamash frames this as "not living a conflict over information as much as living it over awareness itself." Electronic defamation campaigns aren't just passing noise in open space but organized attempts to extract people's trust from its roots and plant doubt in everything that was stable and clear.

She argues we're not seeing disagreement in viewpoints but manufacturing an alternative reality built on carefully designed narratives, presented to recipients in successive doses until they think it's truth. Here lies the danger, as rumors transform into convictions.

The UAE, like any successful and effective state, isn't immune from these campaigns but perhaps targeted because it recorded influential humanitarian and political presence that's difficult to ignore. When some can't compete with the model, it becomes easy to attempt distorting it.

Technical Countermeasures

The UAE's Cyber Security Council has warned community members about the spread of fake videos and audio created using "deepfake" technologies, confirming the danger of these clips that use artificial intelligence to mislead audiences and broadcast unreal messages.

The council explained that deepfake technologies are witnessing accelerated spread with AI tool development, where original clips of real people can be analyzed then generate highly accurate imitated videos difficult for ordinary recipients to distinguish from originals.

Legislative measures include Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 regarding combating rumors and electronic crimes. Article 52 stipulates punishment by imprisonment for no less than one year and fines of no less than 100,000 dirhams for anyone using information networks to broadcast false news, misleading reports, or rumors that contradict official announcements or disturb public security.

Several Arab initiatives have emerged to combat "fake news" on social media, including Saudi Arabia's "Anti-Rumors Authority," Jordan's "Fatabayano" platform, and Egypt's "Don't Believe" initiative. These platforms focus on returning to original news sources, providing evidence to confirm or deny claims, and directly communicating with fact-checkers in 122 countries worldwide.

The real challenge requires effective cooperation between digital platforms, media, and governments. This isn't just about repelling attacks but also creating monitoring mechanisms and decisive laws to ensure such campaigns don't repeat. As experts note, awareness remains the weapon that electronic flies cannot defeat, and building digital literacy among citizens, especially youth, is crucial for distinguishing between authentic and manufactured content.