Elon Musk exposes the shadow war behind Lebanon’s screens

Source: MTV Lebanon

What is happening on X today has revived the issue of “electronic flies,” which in recent years has become a major player in Lebanon’s political arena. This phenomenon, also known as “electronic armies”, has developed into a full-fledged digital weapon used to influence crowds, fight opponents, and create a virtual reality that sometimes becomes the event itself. It has become clear that many accounts operating in the name of Lebanon or Lebanese groups actually originate from abroad, exposing numerous fake and misleading pages that spread discord among Lebanese citizens.

In this context, digital media and communications consultant Bachir Taghrini tells MTV that “this feature offers some relief to users, who can now know from which country they are being attacked or bullied, as is the case for many in Lebanon. It reveals part of the truth and is very important for politicians who face electronic attacks from followers, since they can now identify the country of origin and the real source of the ‘electronic army.’ But the real issue is pursuing or holding accountable the owners of these fake accounts, not just knowing where they are.”

In Lebanon, “electronic flies” are not merely digital chaos but, at times, a systematic political effort involving party groups, media outlets, and even influencers, each for their own purposes. The irony is that some parties operate full digital teams inside and outside Lebanon, working in shifts with assigned duties to achieve specific online goals. These networks function as large clusters of mostly fake accounts with objectives such as spreading certain political narratives, creating artificial trends, attacking opposing voices, and misleading public opinion. They are managed through rapid-posting programs and operations rooms that monitor events and issue daily campaign instructions. So, what is Musk’s real intention behind this step?

Taghrini says, “This feature fights electronic flies, fake accounts, and bots that operate as part of these networks. Politicians, especially in the United States, can now see where attacks or criticism come from. Many of these accounts turn out to be from outside the U.S., which reassures them that their attackers are not from their own people.” He adds, “The electronic war has become more transparent today, and Musk’s goal in releasing this feature may be to identify who will oppose or attack him if he decides to run in the next U.S. presidential election, and to reveal the truth to voters, something that could boost his chances.”

In conclusion, Taghrini considers “the essential question to be why X did not automatically delete fake accounts if it already knew these details before making the feature public. Will it now remove electronic-fly accounts after the facts become clear and complaints are submitted? And more importantly, will this feature appear on other platforms such as Instagram?”

What is certain is that X’s latest technical measures are very important, but not sufficient. Electronic-fly networks can reopen new accounts from primary countries and change their methods of communication through real accounts managed centrally, making the battle part of a long-term war based on collective awareness. Given this reality, the new feature, despite its importance, remains only a drop in the ocean compared to a network capable of regenerating itself within hours, or even minutes.