Doha sues ‘QatarExposed’ for spreading false information

Qatar’s government communication office has filed a lawsuit in theUnited States against people who launched a social media campaign tospread false information about the Gulf state to harm its interests.In its complaint before a court in the state of New York, the officesaid its defendants used social media accounts since October 2017 tospread fake information about Qatar and that it harbours “terrorism”.The office said those involved used alias accounts to post negativelyabout the country, the ramifications of which could cause “irreparableharm”.In October last year, the London-based Times newspaper reported that aseries of anti-Qatar propaganda adverts flooded the pages of thousandsof social media users in the UK.According to the Times, the adverts accusing Qatar of funding“terrorism” and mistreating foreign workers were paid for by “secretivecampaign groups” - Qatar Exposed and Kick Qatar Out, neither of whichown websites on the Internet.The two Twitter accounts were created within minutes of each other last October.According to analysts, the two campaigns are funded by groups linked toSaudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – which, along with Bahrainand Egypt, have severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar.The blockading quartet accused Qatar on June 5 of supporting “terrorism”, the allegations Qatar has strongly denied.