https://www.patreon.com/TheTeawithMyriamFrancois?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabkrbubUPKErSGVFGL5bzjQytkb9HanzeLQBUi8U-mU6g5aVSTqE5ej7sQ_aem_SO9ihK10zUz3TdyPOD2ngA
"Truth isn't shared anymore. Itโs manufactured."
For a decade, the script has been the same: Iran is "two weeks away" from a nuclear weapon. Is this a fact, or a decade-long disinformation campaign designed to sell an illegal war? From AI-generated war footage to bot networks swinging European elections, the "Disinformation Machine" is the most dangerous weapon system of the 21st century. And itโs in full swing in the US-Israel war on Iran.
This week on The Tea, Marc Owen Jones, Associate Professor at Northwestern University in Qatar and author of Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East, exposes the empires that turn hate into profit and the disinformation machines operating on Meta, X, TikTok, and beyond.
We discuss:
โก Iran and Americaโs war narratives: AI deepfakes and propaganda fuelling escalation
โก How the major tech companies profit from fake news and our outrage
โก How Donald Trump and others weaponise โtruthโ
โก Inside the global far-right disinformation networks
โก From โIslamismโ to โMuslimsโ: how language gets quietly weaponised
โก UAE, Israel, and evangelical alliances โ a shared anti-Muslim agenda
โก Dubaiโs golden cage: influence, image, and narrative control
โก Far-right Islamophobic agenda targeting the mayors of London and NY
โก The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the 2024 disinformation push
โก Can UK and EU laws actually curb disinformation?
As Mark argues, disinformation isnโt just noise โ it shapes policy, fuels racism, and prepares the ground for war. The narrative is messy, but the stakes are painfully real.
๐ Subscribe for fearless, independent conversations
๐ง Listen wherever you get your podcasts
#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #MarkOwenJones #Disinformation #DigitalAuthoritarianism #BigTech #Iran #Gaza #Dubai #Islamophobia #FarRight #USPolitics #UKPolitics #Trump2026 #CurrentAffairs #AI #AIWars
AUDIO CREDITS
PresenterโProducer: Dr. Myriam Franรงois
Guest: Marc Owen Jones
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadรจge Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Maryam Abada, Ayman Ahmer, Ariana Hashtrudi, Dahlia Melaine and Martha Missingham
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.
This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.
The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.