A Freedom of Information disclosure has revealed that members of the British Army’s 77 Brigade were deployed to ‘various UK-based locations’ during the pandemic, apparently to track online discourse within the UK, raising concerns about mission creep and the encroachment of military surveillance into civilian life.
Established in 2015 with a mandate to combat international online propaganda operations, 77 Brigade’s remit appears to have evolved into monitoring British citizens.
The recent Freedom of Information disclosure, published in November 2024, after a considerable delay, shows the Brigade monitored UK citizens’ social media posts to detect so-called “disinformation trends” during the pandemic.
The FOI response, published on Whatdotheyknow.com, noted that in March 2029 the Ministry of Defence, “identified the need for Info Ops capability, orchestrated centrally from the Mil Strat HQ in support Op RESCRIPT”.
Operation Rescript was the code name for the British military operation to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.
This means that while government officials initially stated that the Brigade’s role would remain internationally focused, evidence now points to a mission creep, raising questions about the proper boundaries of military involvement in civilian matters.
In 2023, the Rt Hon David Davis, then the Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Hoden, asked the then Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that when “he gave clear instructions and guidelines to the brigade, which operates only against foreign powers and extremists, he was telling the exact truth. However, will he… ensure that his guidelines have been followed in all cases?”
The answer should have been that 77 Brigade was not just operating against foreign powers and extremists. Instead Wallace prevaricated, saying: “I have already instructed that we… check that the instructions that I issued after a visit were carried out.”
Instead, the FOI shows that Force Elements (FE – i.e. soldiers), would “deploy to various UK-based locations” for six months, and that they would “adopt civilian or military attire as directed”, with a passive media role (i.e. not to talk to journalists).
Their role was to “support the UK’s overall ability to counter threats posed by COVID-19.”
The 77th Brigade’s Origin and Intended Mission
The 77th Brigade was established as a response to the changing nature of conflict in an increasingly digital age. The Brigade’s mission was explicitly to protect the UK from external online threats, initially directed toward foreign disinformation campaigns and extremist propaganda.
As such, equipped with specialised units, including the Defence Cultural Specialist Unit, the 77th Brigade has been primarily focused on identifying and countering overseas misinformation targeting the UK’s national security. The formation was heralded as a new asset for national defence, designed to operate within the modern theatre of global information warfare. It’s remit was never for national operations.
COVID-19: From Public Health Support to Domestic Surveillance?
In March 2020, though, as the UK government scrambled to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, it turned to the 77th Brigade to support its public information campaigns and counteract disinformation that could hinder public health efforts.
As noted, documents released through the Freedom of Information Act provide insight into the Brigade’s activation under Operation RESCRIPT, which authorised the unit to engage in COVID-19 response activities domestically. The official order from 24 March 2020 noted that 77th Brigade personnel would be deployed across various locations in the UK to assist in combating the rapidly evolving “disinformation threat” linked to the virus.
The operation ostensibly aimed to counter misinformation about the virus and related health measures, aligning with public safety objectives rather than surveillance. However, the scope of this mandate remained ambiguous, and 77 Brigade may have overstepped its original intent.
Whistleblower Claims and the Defence Secretary’s Admission
The boundaries of the 77th Brigade’s operations have been previously called into question when a whistleblower, supported by civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, alleged that the Brigade had monitored the social media posts of UK citizens, including those of journalists and public figures, under the guise of disinformation tracking.
This seems to directly contradict the MOD’s claim that 77th Brigade “do not, and have never, conducted any kind of action against British citizens”.
Of note, the MOD said in a 2022 Freedom of Information reply: “Defence are supporting the Cabinet Office to tackle disinformation and hostile state narratives which seek to undermine the UK’s reputation. All work is internationally focused, and the military do not and have never conducted any kind of action against British citizens.”
A Growing Concern for Civil Liberties
The revelations about the 77th Brigade’s national activities have sparked criticism from civil liberties advocates who warn of the dangers of military encroachment into civilian spaces. Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, has expressed concern that the Defence Secretary’s statements imply a normalisation of military intervention in the digital sphere.
“It is deeply concerning that the Defence Secretary appeared to suggest that military power has been intentionally deployed towards social media users in the UK”, Carlo said. “Any misuse of military resources designed for foreign adversaries on our own soil would be Orwellian in the extreme and absolutely scandalous.”
An Expanding Role with Growing Costs
Perhaps in line with this expanded role, it has also been reported that the cost of the 77th Brigade’s operations has steadily increased. The Brigade’s annual budget has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from £7.56 million in 2015 to £14.52 million in 2024.
As information warfare continues to gain prominence, the increased budget allocation signals a growing recognition of the Brigade’s role in securing national interests. Yet, the expanding mission has also heightened concerns that military information operations, when turned inward, could threaten fundamental civil liberties.
Safeguarding Public Trust and Civil Liberties
In response to these revelations, Dr Iain Overton, the Executive Director of Action on Armed Violence, said: “The revelations about the 77th Brigade’s involvement in domestic monitoring highlight the critical need for transparency, accountability, and defined limits on military roles in civilian matters. As digital spaces increasingly become battlegrounds for influence and control, the government must balance national security needs with protections for civil liberties.”
“Moving forward, it will be essential to establish clear parameters for units like the 77th Brigade to prevent mission creep from eroding the freedoms they are meant to protect.”
In a democratic society, where public trust hinges on transparency, it is vital to ensure that military power does not encroach upon the domain of civilian governance.
AOAV believes better scrutiny of the 77th Brigade’s activities underscores the importance of safeguarding these boundaries, affirming the principle that the tools of national defence must be wielded carefully and responsibly within the frameworks of law and human rights.
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