In recent years, several individuals have come forward describing a sustained campaign of online harassment linked to a network centered around a user known as David Cartland. The abuse has targeted people who had publicly challenged misinformation about COVID-19 or who were otherwise associated, often tangentially, with government efforts to address pandemic-related disinformation.

Ian Robinson, 54, a bar owner originally from the West Midlands now residing in Thailand, began experiencing the harassment in 2024. Having previously run comedy content on YouTube, Robinson was used to online trolling but was unsettled when he received unusual messages from an account claiming to be John Cartwright. The account sent him a photo of his former business partner, Simon Harris, along with others, asking if Robinson recognized them. After blocking the account, Robinson learned he was being impersonated on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The fake account, which posted his image, falsely claimed he was wanted by police and disclosed personal information including photos of his wife and their home address.

The underlying motive became apparent when the account shared a blog alleging that Robinson’s former partner, Harris, whom the blog labeled a “government operative,” was involved in combating COVID misinformation via Essex County Council payments. Because Robinson had worked with Harris in an unrelated context, the blog implicated him as a co-conspirator. The blog’s narrative intensified as Cartland urged his 300,000 followers to uncover more purported evidence linking Robinson to a UK military cyber unit known as the 77th Brigade. This escalated into weeks of online harassment, including threats of violence and death.

Despite reaching out to Cartland to request the harassment cease, Robinson said he received a vague demand that appeared to be a financial extortion. Robinson ultimately withdrew from online contact to shield his family. The intimidation extended offline when Thai police visited his bar in April 2026 after reports of human trafficking emerged, though no evidence was found.

Robinson is not alone. Another victim, a medical professional named George,* left X in 2025 after a pro-vaccine post attracted the network’s hostile attention. Cartland and his followers reportedly sought to discover her personal details, contacted her employer demanding dismissal, and shared identifying information online. George said local police dismissed her concerns, suggesting she had invited the abuse and advising her simply to “stop posting.” The harassment has persisted despite police cautioning an individual within the network in 2023 and later issuing a restraining order in May 2026.

Janet,* another individual targeted by the network, described similar patterns of abuse and the chilling effect on her ability to engage online. Cartland has continued to post defamatory content, including false allegations against victims, from secondary accounts and alternative platforms, evading suspensions such as the one imposed on his primary X account in May.

Legal options for victims are limited. The Malicious Communications Act criminalizes threatening or abusive messages online with penalties up to two years in prison, yet victims report minimal law enforcement response. Several police forces, including Devon and Cornwall Police, have recorded thousands of stalking-related offences and dozens of arrests, but victims say their complaints are frequently dismissed or met with indifference.

Faced with ongoing abuse, victims describe being forced offline or censored on social media to avoid further harm. “We just want it to stop… to get on with our lives without having to deal with abuse every day,” said Janet, underscoring the lasting toll of the harassment campaigns.

Attempts to reach Devon and Cornwall Police for comment were unsuccessful. David Cartland declined to respond to requests for comment.