The increasingly visible and vocal followers of QAnon promote a bewildering blend of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, worrying everyone from Facebook to the FBI.
Once on the fringes of the internet and focused on US politics, the movement has seen sharp growth on mainstream social media platforms this year, prompting tech firms to tighten controls and ban QAnon followers.
The movement is centred on the unsubstantiated belief that the world is run by a cabal of Satan-worshipping paedophiles. It has extended that this year to allege, without proof, that the coronavirus is a conspiracy by that group to control people using vaccines and 5G.
Researchers detected sharp spikes in QAnon content and related searches in March, when many countries had started imposing lockdowns and other social distancing measures.
The anxiety, frustration and economic pain caused by the pandemic – coupled with the increased amount of time people were spending online – became an explosive mix that drew people to QAnon, experts say.
"QAnon blamed these events on global elites while also increasing distrust in mainstream media, government and organisations such as the WHO," said Mackenzie Hart, a disinformation researcher at the London-based ISD think tank.
Core QAnon beliefs were also coupled with anti-vaccine messaging and far-right campaigns, further expanding its following.
Tech analysis have pointed to a feature at the core of most major social media platforms as a key driver of QAnon growth: the recommendation algorithm.
Users who view, post or search for certain content are guided to what the platform's algorithm determines to be other content they may be interested in. Analysts have said this helped link existing conspiracy theories – such as those about vaccines and 5G – with QAnon.
"They know this, especially the core of true believers, they are very good at leveraging the algorithmic... amplification techniques to drive engagement to their videos or posts," said Alex Newhouse, a disinformation researcher at Middlebury College's Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism.
"QAnon would not exist in the volume that it exists without the recommendation algorithms on the big tech platforms."
QAnon followers, in a bid to defeat the Satanist paedophile cabal, have also hijacked hashtags such as #SaveTheChildren, a move experts say has harmed serious efforts to stop human trafficking.
Researchers have found Instagram influencers, including those that do not directly reference the movement, have used colourful and inviting visuals to promote QAnon conspiracy theories.
Social media giants have been forced to act in recent months as QAnon content spread far and wide, with researchers finding material originating from around 70 countries.
Hundreds of thousands of pages, groups, users and hashtags – including the QAnon slogan WWG1WGA, or "Where we go one, we go all" – have been removed, blocked or hidden on major social media.
Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube have also ramped up surveillance for QAnon content, as adherents attempt to bypass the new filters.
According to researchers, the filtering and blocking of some QAnon related content has had an impact, with a decrease in searches on Google and engagement with Facebook groups.
But content remains rife. According to an NBC News report citing internal Facebook documents, QAnon groups and pages have millions of followers and members.
Cutting off or reducing access to potential new followers is one of the few effective methods available to tech giants, experts say, but QAnon has amassed a huge hardcore following already.
Many are already entrenched on the free-for-all fringes of the internet, such as anonymous message boards 4chan and 8kun, and encrypted communication apps like Telegram.
"At this point, kicking off the true believers, banning them... is whack-a-mole. They're going to keep evading bans (on social media)," added Mr Newhouse.
"It's going to be a lot harder task to tackle the now millions of true believers who are out there."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
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Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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