Here’s a telling story about the common culture of secret intelligence services and high-tech platforms. A Twitter executive responsible for social media giant’s international operations is a reservist in a British military brigade engaged in “psy-ops,” otherwise known as “information warfare.”
Gordon MacMillan, who joined the social media company’s UK office six years ago, has for several years also served with the 77th Brigade, a unit formed in 2015 in order to develop “non-lethal” ways of waging war, according to Middle East Eye, a reputable news platform based in London.
According to the chief of British military, the 77th Brigade gives the British military “the capability to compete in the war of narratives at the tactical level”; to shape perceptions of conflict. Some soldiers who have served with the unit say they have been engaged in operations intended to change the behaviour of target audiences in the Middle East.
MacMillan, whose editorial responsibilities at Twitter also cover Europe and Africa, was a captain in the unit at the end of 2016, according to one British army publication. The MoD will not disclose his current rank. His involvement with the 77th Brigade was made public when he disclosed it on his page at LinkedIn, the online professional networking site.
His page has recently been edited to remove all references to his service with 77th Brigade.
Source: EXCLUSIVE: Twitter executive for Middle East is British Army ‘psyops’ soldier | Middle East Eye
