What may have led to founding @DefendDemocracy: Alice @StollmeyerEU’s early tweets about Russia, propaganda and disinformation (2012-2016)
Being interviewed for the Counter Intelligence Podcast (3 June 2019), I decided to look back on my earliest tweets (2012-2016) to see if they might give some background to why I founded Defend Democracy. I surprised even myself by what I found…
Some of my earliest tweets about Russian trolls, propaganda and disinformation
24 July 2014:
A UKIP slash climate-denying troll calls me ill-informed. I guess I should take that as a compliment.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) July 24, 2014
11 May 2015:
Interesting to hear 1st Secretary for Energy of #Russia Mission to the EU twisting EU #EnergyUnion facts in the Kremlin way. #epc_eu
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) May 11, 2015
30 June 2015:
Russian trolls love the #MH17 hashtag
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) June 30, 2015
Have a chat with @DarthPutinKGB, guys.
Cheers.
25 February 2016:
To eurosceptics & Russian trolls who love my critical Qs & remarks:
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) February 25, 2016
I'm pro-EU & I deeply care about the EU & our #EnergyUnion.
Cheers Alice
14 May 2016:
Why you're probably reading #Russia #propaganda every day.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) May 14, 2016
'It gambles a lot on laziness of the average reader.'https://t.co/LsII6ivxYS
14 May 2016:
Some of that bollocks even written by Russian trolls. I've seen unbelievable blogs, tweets, etc during Dutch Ukraine referendum.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) May 14, 2016
31 August 2016:
Putin's pipe dreams part of #Russia’s disinformation campaign.#EnergyUnion #TurkishStreamhttps://t.co/RynO9KkR3z pic.twitter.com/UuGOrDxndk
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) August 31, 2016
21 October 2016:
#Misinformation war. Too sick for words:#Russia summons envoy over non-existent Belgium "#Aleppo killings"https://t.co/JXMRX2rrOQ
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) October 21, 2016
9 October 2016:
#RussiaHack ++important than #TrumpTapes.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) October 9, 2016
Russia #disinformation dovetails w/ #Brexit & #Trump post-truth politicshttps://t.co/qkh59OBSzb
3 November 2016:
LOL: #WikiLeaks’ Assange denies #Russia behind #PodestaEmails hack — on Russian state TV.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 3, 2016
cc @DarthPutinKGBhttps://t.co/m6o9DgyBp3
8 November 2016:
#Russia may try to influence #Germany’s general election next fall, with #cyberattacks & #disinformation campaigns.https://t.co/OD7qK1P330
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 8, 2016
9 November 2016:
I wrote a blog, called: Winter is here. On Paris and politics after Trump. Quote: Helped by hackers, disinformation campaigns, automated propaganda, and opaque algorithms that influence what we see and read on social media and on search engines, we have entered an era of post-fact, post-truth politics. Trust in science is at stake. Trust in public institutions is at stake. Democracy is at stake. We can’t let that happen.
23 November 2016:
Counter anti-#EU propaganda (by Russia & Daesh) with #education, online media, #journalism, EU-NATO #StratCom, etc.https://t.co/7C0OcPnOjt pic.twitter.com/YHGBnjo7Js
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 23, 2016
24 November 2016:
LOL. Russia admits Russian media is #propaganda. HT @SovietSergey
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 24, 2016
Read re EU Parliament resolution here. #StratComhttps://t.co/LgLeKcZaGB https://t.co/j0u79jHkDB
9 December 2016:
No joke: #Russia #propaganda poses #EU threat.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) December 9, 2016
Politicians underestimate effect Russia’s #disinformation campaign.https://t.co/kF3poiOimW
29 December 2016:
Elves vs trolls:#Lithuania elves combat #Russia influence online. #SocialMedia #HateSpeech #propaganda https://t.co/a9ROuqnWk6
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) December 29, 2016
Some of my earliest tweets on Russia and its (geo)political warfare
5 February 2012:
#Russia admits cut of #gas supplies to #Europe while cold snap kills 250 http://t.co/doU8ghXR #Gazprom #geopolitics
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) February 5, 2012
7 April 2013:
Shame Netherlands is willing to be ab/used by Putin – who makes Russia regress to Soviet – just to secure gas & oil trade. cc @MinPres Rutte
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) April 7, 2013
24 September 2013:
Hahaha: #Greenpeace "threat to environmental security of whole region", says Russia.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) September 24, 2013
How about Gazprom?http://t.co/3m6mhTxu0u @gp_sunrise
7 April 2014:
EU #climate & energy strategy must counter Putin's #fossil autocracyhttp://t.co/Z1Vf5RsE77 #EU2030 #Russia #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/h9AQxw9uC7
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) April 7, 2014
20 July 2014:
So will Dutch @Gasunie freeze any #gas contracts with #Russia? #MH17 #Ukraine #Europe #security
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) July 20, 2014
19 August 2014:
… or is this not about making money, but just #Russia trying to divide and rule? #Statoil #Rosneft #Ukraine #sanctions #Artic #oil
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) August 19, 2014
23 October 2014:
Each 1% energy saved in #EU means 2.6% less gas imported from #Russia
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) October 23, 2014
MT @CHedegaardEU #EU2030 #EUCO #climate pic.twitter.com/KyzrCEbxfO
7 November 2014:
#Hungary helping #Russia keep its chokehold on EU's energyhttp://t.co/xJgWiWS3m8 #EU2030 #EnergyUnion #SouthStream pic.twitter.com/gog1Wyusgm
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 7, 2014
15 January 2015:
#Russia trying to play the bogeyman. Keep calm & create EU #EnergyUnionhttp://t.co/pvtr71cHce cc @MarosSefcovic pic.twitter.com/zWFz56HaJ9
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) January 15, 2015
7 February 2015:
US @VP #Biden: No country -not #Russia, not any other nation- should use #energy as a political weapon.#MSC2015 #Ukraine #EU #EnergyUnion
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) February 7, 2015
21 April 2015:
Great quotes:
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) April 21, 2015
'#Russia tanks in #Ukraine are “sponsored” by the revenues of #Rosneft & #Gazprom.'
'#SUVs are Mr. Putin’s best friends.'
30 June 2015:
Up close & personal with VP @TimmermansEU on #MH17 & #geopolitics in #Russia
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) June 30, 2015
From 42:15-46:00 http://t.co/UENSYHx0Is pic.twitter.com/VR6mX2pybg
4 August 2015:
Disgusting. Despite #Ukraine & #MH17, despite EU sanctions: #Shell in bed with Putin http://t.co/kRgwu9h8zV #EnergyUnion #Gazprom #ShellNo
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) August 4, 2015
16 February 2016:
Almost funny: #Russia'n habit to mention EU-RU gas pipe dreams just ahead of #EUCO. Divide & conquer.https://t.co/DAn1XxhuvG #EnergyUnion
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) February 16, 2016
28 September 2016:
Joint Investigation Team confirms:
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) September 28, 2016
Missile that shot #MH17 & killed 196 of my Dutch compatriots came from #Russia.https://t.co/Hw4YdGuKr6
14 October 2016:
#Russia has 'playbook' to influence #Bulgaria #Hungary #Latvia #Serbia & #Slovakia.#EnergyUnion #Gazprom #Rosatomhttps://t.co/3Bg6is0EKZ
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) October 14, 2016
16 November 2016:
#Russia to pull out of #ICC (International Criminal Court).
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 16, 2016
Got something to hide? #Georgia #Crimea #MH17 #Syriahttps://t.co/YKWL4pGdQW
22 November 2016:
EU COMM @JKingEU warns #Russia could interfere w/ #France & #Germany elections.#SecurityEU #cyber #disinformationhttps://t.co/Xpb5nltrxU pic.twitter.com/hwpMK97sKw
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 22, 2016
29 November 2016:
#Russia #hackers targeting #Germany.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) November 29, 2016
'Perpetrators mostly interested in delegitimising the #democratic process.'https://t.co/n7pHin096c
10 December 2016:
I mean: in a well-functioning #democracy foreign interference in election would result in its #invalidation, right?#Russia #USElection2016 pic.twitter.com/MYzbliQ1lV
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) December 10, 2016
12 December 2016:
Former #CIA chief calls #Russia’s meddling in #USelection2016 'the political equivalent of 9/11’.#USA #democracyhttps://t.co/RF1uGjnJQv
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) December 12, 2016
14 December 2016:
Dirty #Russia|n money buying influence in #EU, MEPs warn.
— Alice Stllmeyer (@StollmeyerEU) December 14, 2016
$200 million "just the tip of the iceberg”#HumanRightshttps://t.co/Xd2YIBFcmL
29 December 2016:
https://twitter.com/StollmeyerEU/status/814557704924577792
Fast-forward to 8 November 2017: the day I founded Defend Democracy (then called Defending Democracy).
https://twitter.com/DefendDemocracy/status/928335757500125186
Read all about our organisation and mission, how we humans are vulnerable cyborgs in a hybrid war and what we can do about it, and last but not least: join fellow democracy advocates, thinkers and enthousiasts at our monthly Democracy Drinks!
Credits featured image: Rodrigo de Matos, 31 May 2014