Twitter suspended a large spam bot network on Thursday that spread pro-Saudi sentiments, a representative for the social media giant told TheWrap on Thursday.
Called an “influence operation” by NBC News, the news outlet reported it aimed at changing the narrative around missing Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. The suspension affected hundreds of Twitter accounts.
The social media platform had already been aware of the bot network, the Twitter rep said, and had taken action to remove pro-Saudi government accounts, given their violation of Twitter’s rules about spam-tweeting, NBC reported.
Multiple accounts, tweeting either in English or Arabic, posted the same text and images repeatedly, said Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensics Lab senior fellow Ben Nimmo to NBC News. Many of the posts utilized the hashtag that roughly translated to “#We_all_trust_mohammad_Bin_Salaman,” referring to the Saudi Arabia Crown Prince who has been under media scrutiny following the journalist’s disappearance.
According to NBC News, the numerous bot accounts aimed to implore users to express their skepticism and doubt about the connection between Khashoggi’s presumed death and the Saudi consulate.
“From the very beginning, false statements have tried to link the disappearance or killing of #Jamal_Khashoggi to the kingdom,” one suspended account read, according to NBC News. “This is a campaign they are waging against the kingdom.”
The bot network origins are not currently known.
10 Worst Reviewed Films on Rotten Tomatoes, From 'Ridiculous 6' to 'Gotti' (Photos)
"Gotti" made headlines this year when it got a zero percent score on Rotten Tomatoes -- but there are worse films out there. Click through TheWrap's gallery of worst reviewed films of all time on RT, ranked by number of reviews.
Sony
"Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever" (2002)
# of Reviews: 117
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Lucy Liu
What It's About: An FBI agent and a rogue DIA agent are tasked to kill each other, but they soon realize they aren't each other's biggest enemy.
What Critics Said: AV Club's Keith Phipps said it "looks like a video-game promo," while Associated Press' Jocelyn Noveck asked, "Why am I sitting here, anyway?"
Warner Bros.
"One Missed Call" (2008)
# of Reviews: 80
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Shannyn Sossamon, Edwards Burns
What It's About: People start receiving calls from their future selves -- with details of their deaths.
What Critics Said: Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Bob Longino said the film was "one big miss of a horror movie," while Toronto Star's Philip Marchand said the best part about the movie is that it is "mercifully short."
Warner Bros.
"A Thousand Words" (2012)
# of Reviews: 56
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Kerry Washington, Allison Janney
What It's About: A literary agent finds a Bodhi tree on his property which is shaped by the consequences of every word he speaks.
What Critics Said: We Got This Covered critic Kristal Cooper simply wrote, "Try two words: stay away." Meanwhile The National's James Luxford wrote, "a poorly conceived and startling miscast comedy."
Paramount Pictures
"Pinocchio" (2002)
# of Reviews: 54
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi
What It's About: A wooden puppet disregards advice from the Blue Fairy and his father and goes on one adventure after another.
What Critics Said: Chicago Reader's Jonathan Rosenbaum said the film was "truly awful," while L.A. Weekly's Dan Fienberg said, "Visually sumptuous but intellectually stultifying."
Miramax
"Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2" (2004)
# of Reviews: 45
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Jon Voight, Scott Baio
What It's About: Media moguls try to crack the code to baby talk, while the babies of the world try to stop them.
What Critics Said: The Wall Street Journal's Joanne Kaufman wrote, "unspeakably ghastly," while Chicago Reader's J. R. Jones simply said "excruciating."
Triumph Films
"Gotti" (2018)
# of Reviews: 44
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: John Travolta, Kelly Preston
What It's About: It's the story about crime boss John Gotti and his son.
What Critics Said: New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski wrote bluntly: "I'd rather wake up next to a severed horse head than ever watch 'Gotti' again."
Vertical Entertainment
"National Lampoon's Gold Diggers" (2004)
# of Reviews: 44
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Will Friedle, Chris Owen
What It's About: Two losers marry two elderly sisters, hoping they'll inherit their fortune.
What Critics Said: Washington Post's Jen Chaney said the film was "stupefyingly hideous," while Seattle Times' Erik Lundegaard begged people to not "waste your money."
P& Releasing
"Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star" (2011)
# of Reviews: 35
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Nick Swardson, Christina Ricci
What It's About: A kid from the midwest moves to Hollywood to become a porn star.
What Critics Said: Time Out's Matt Singer described the film as "dire" and "soul-crushing," while Newsday's Rafer Guzman said it was "icky and repellent."
Columbia Pictures
"The Ridiculous 6" (2015)
# of Reviews: 35
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Adam Sandler, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider
What It's About: When an outlaw raised by Native Americans realizes he has five half-brothers, they all band together to find their dad.
What Critics Said: "Thanks for nothing, Netflix," is what Chicago Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper wrote. TheWrap's own Debbie Day added that the film is "everything wrong with Hollywood for the past two decades."
Netflix
"Dark Crimes" (2018)
# of Reviews: 34
Tomatometer: 0
Cast: Jim Carrey, Martin Csokas, Charlotte Gainsbourg
What It's About: Clues to a murder of a businessman are laid out in a book about a similar crime.
What Critics Said: New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski said "that this exercise in vulgarity was made at all is shameful," while Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper said the film "leaves a sour taste."
Saban Films
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Which movie is the worst-reviewed of all time?
"Gotti" made headlines this year when it got a zero percent score on Rotten Tomatoes -- but there are worse films out there. Click through TheWrap's gallery of worst reviewed films of all time on RT, ranked by number of reviews.
Sony
Warner Bros.
