The UAE and its counter-terrorism partners are constantly battling misleading accounts created by hostile countries and organisations, according to Dherar Belhoul, General Director of Watani Al Emarat Foundation.

Speaking at the fourth Emirati Media Forum held in Dubai today, Belhoul said that such hostile forces spend millions of dollars to use social media platforms to undermine the reputation of the UAE. They target the UAE because of its success in combating extremism both locally and outside the country.

During his presentation, he spoke about the large number of fake accounts created on various social media platforms with the aim of attacking the UAE. He also said that some accounts use real names to publish fake news and create conflict.

According to the latest statistics, the UAE has more than 1.2 million users on Instagram, 800,000 on Twitter, and 8 million users on Facebook.

Belhoul highlighted the role of local media in exposing disinformation campaigns against the nation, and the need for spreading awareness about it in the community.