Media Platform With Qatar Ties Pushes Anti-Western Propaganda to Western Youth
A YouTube channel presenting itself as independent American media appears to operate from Ramallah while promoting anti-Western narratives, with founders based in Qatar
Investigative journalist Ella Kenan has exposed what she characterizes as a media influence operation called Uncivilized. The channel adopts the tone and aesthetics of an organic Western youth-media outlet while targeting Western audiences with anti-Western propaganda and factually false claims about Israel and liberal democracies.
The channel, which operates under the apparent guise of progressive social justice content, has accumulated just under 400,000 subscribers and positions itself as an authentic voice of Western youth critique.
However, Kenan's analysis reveals a different picture: while its YouTube channel lists its location as being in the U.S., its LinkedIn page lists its headquarters in Ramallah.
The False Framing: Manufactured Authenticity
Uncivilized presents videos addressing themes of injustice, inequality, and systemic critique—messaging calibrated to resonate with Western audiences skeptical of institutional authority.
However, beneath this surface lies what Kenan characterizes as a coherent ideological framework designed to condition viewers toward specific conclusions: that the United States is fundamentally evil and should collapse; that Jews control global institutions and media; that liberal democracies are sources of oppression while authoritarian systems offer superior models.
Kenan characterizes this content as ideological conditioning rather than legitimate social critique, noting that the messaging conflates criticism with hatred and systematically selects which injustices merit outrage and which merit silence.
Connections to Qatari Media Institutions
According to Kenan's investigation, potential ties to Qatar become apparent through key personnel and institutional connections. At least one founder previously worked for both Al Jazeera and the Doha Film Institute—both entities with documented track records of amplifying anti-democratic narratives and disinformation targeting Western audiences.
Kenan reports that LinkedIn records she examined indicate the operation’s base of operations is in Ramallah, contradicting the channel’s presentation as an independent American media project. Additionally, Kenan notes that Uncivilized LLC appears to be listed on Media City Qatar, a state-backed media hub in Doha.
Additionally, the X account of co-founder and editor Tala Kaddoura indicates that she is based in Qatar, and the X account of founder and creative director Salem Barahmeh also indicates he is based in Qatar. Barahmeh's online bio lists prior work as a Policy and Public Affairs Advisor at Portland Communications in London. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism previously reported that Portland Communications outsourced Wikipedia editing for high-profile clients, including the state of Qatar.
Deliberate Disinformation
Kenan identifies multiple instances of distortion and falsehood. A video about an alleged "100-year Israeli plan to take over Lebanon" lacks contextual framing about decades of attacks launched from Lebanese territory by terrorist organizations. Another video claims Israel's collapse is imminent, contradicting reality: Israel's economy is projected to grow by 5.2% in 2026, significantly above the OECD average of 1.7%, while its tech sector and quality of life continue to boom.
Kenan notes the channel cites "fringe voices" claiming Israelis recognize collapse while omitting that Israel's democratic system actively encourages dissent—unlike authoritarian Middle Eastern environments where political opposition is culturally or politically suppressed.
Targeting Western Youth
Audiences consuming this content remain unaware of potential Qatari geopolitical interests, lack understanding of media influence mechanics, and have not developed habits of source verification for emotionally compelling narratives.
This represents what appears to be a systematic effort to shape worldviews incrementally, one video at a time, among Western audiences vulnerable to narratives framing them as inherently oppressive and their societies as irredeemable.