Report Uncovers Multi-Million-Euro Campaign Spreading Islamophobic Propaganda Across Europe

Report Uncovers Multi-Million-Euro Campaign Spreading Islamophobic Propaganda Across Europe
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A three-year digital influence operation that spread racist, anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant propaganda across dozens of countries has been exposed by an investigation involving Northwestern University researcher Marc Owen Jones and independent researcher Sohan Dsouza.

According to their report, the campaign generated at least 533 million recorded advertising exposures across 30 countries, with projected reach of approximately 831 million. Le Monde estimated that the operation’s budget likely exceeded €10 million. Its advertisements, circulated on platforms including YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, portrayed Qatar as promoting terrorism, mass migration and an alleged plan to “Islamize” Europe.

France was among the campaign’s main targets, recording an estimated 120 million views over three years. Researchers found that advertising activity appeared at times to coincide with electoral calendars, raising concerns that the campaign sought to influence political debate. The investigation also identified technical evidence pointing to possible involvement by private-sector actors in Israel, although the campaign’s funders have not been conclusively identified.