Digital Exploitation From Content Agencies | Lillee Jean's Project: Bullyish
- Lillee Jean
- Sep 16, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
I've long said that it was never about "fake followers" or "fake fame."
At just fifteen, while building an early online presence through makeup tutorials on my blog, Thaeyeballqueen, and experimenting with short films, I encountered the darker side of the internet.
What began as unwarranted hate quickly escalated into a sustained campaign of online harassment, marked by malicious defamation and deeply disturbing content targeting me as a minor.
Despite my mother's efforts to defend me, the attacks intensified, revealing a sinister intent focused on sexualization and exploitation disguised as 'commentary.'
This harrowing period, which included severe threats and the creation of violent deepfakes, became the powerful catalyst for my documentary, Project: Bullyish.
It was not about being "fake" or helping "save" the internet from me - the true intention was the smear campaigns intentionally formed on me, a minor at the time, veiled by "commentators" telling people I had a "fake persona" to conceal their true actions.
During that time in my life, I was threatened to be taken, and photo edits of my eyes gouged out were made and published. The film vividly explores these experiences, transforming personal adversity into a vital call for digital accountability and a deeper understanding of online exploitation.
Below, I discuss in detail how propaganda was utilized to form this smear campaign.
The First One
My journey through the complexities of online life continued to unfold significantly, particularly starting in 2019. It was then that a renewed and highly aggressive online harassment campaign emerged, characterized by an overwhelming surge of malicious content and, tragically, direct threats targeting my family and me. This coordinated effort sought to destabilize my online presence and spread damaging misinformation.
While I've extensively documented these experiences, the recent emergence of one of these entities into mainstream media has further illuminated the insidious tactics employed behind the scenes. These ongoing challenges have profoundly reinforced the vital relevance of my work, particularly as explored in my documentary, Project: Bullyish.
My intention in sharing these experiences within Project: Bullyish is to empower the public with awareness, offering a clearer understanding of the sophisticated manipulation and unsolicited digital propaganda that exists.
"...Chen is alleged to have helped a Russian state-controlled company to spread misinformation online through American commentators." According to the Montreal Gazette
Organized Digital Harassment Campaigns
Over the years, I've been subjected to an extensive campaign of online defamation, manifesting in hundreds of disparaging videos that have, at times, posed severe threats to my personal safety.
These professionally coordinated operations, often originating from various international locations including North America and parts of Europe, employ a sophisticated infrastructure involving editors, voice actors, and more to create and disseminate harmful content.
A notable phase of this activity began in 2019-2020, marked by the unauthorized use of my image, originating from a time when I was just 16 years old, to craft malicious narratives. Here is where media corporations like the one indicted come into play.
When she first published videos, I was 19 years old, not the 16-year-old in the photos.
First propaganda move - use a child's face to draw in the people of the internet (who mainly are coming from Chans, and other message boards);
".....allegedly aided a Russian propaganda operation, she built an audience posting right-wing videos under the name..." According to NBC NEWS
A core tactic of these disinformation campaigns has been the deliberate fabrication of narratives, such as the persistent labeling of my professional identity with terms like 'fake' or the propagation of unfounded claims regarding my digital presence.
This strategic use of sensationalized language serves as a calculated method to draw public attention, often attempting to discredit my legitimate work and career.
What became increasingly clear is that these operations extend far beyond personal attacks; they embody a chilling example of how an individual's identity can be weaponized for broader, manipulative agendas.
As a proud entertainer of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, I recognize how these tactics can exploit and propagate harmful stereotypes, particularly when aimed at public figures with a burgeoning platform. This realization underscores the profound and often overlooked societal implications of such digital campaigns, suggesting a far deeper strategy at play than initially perceived.
The resilience I’ve shown in the face of these profound challenges is documented through official police reports on numerous perpetrators and ongoing FBI IC3 reports concerning international actors who have issued severe threats to my life.
My film, Project: Bullyish, serves as a vital platform to expose these sophisticated digital interference strategies. It reveals how seemingly legitimate content creation companies are leveraged to construct elaborate false narratives, fundamentally misrepresenting individuals and impacting public discourse.
Unmasking Online Disinformation: The Mechanics of Coordinated Campaigns
As a filmmaker, I'm very clear that my work delves into the intricate web of online disinformation, a phenomenon often perpetuated by sophisticated entities disguised as independent "commentary channels" or individual content creators.
While appearing grassroots, many of these operations are, in fact, organized and professionally managed, strategically disseminating misleading narratives across digital platforms.
Through my personal experiences, I have witnessed firsthand how these groups orchestrate pervasive campaigns of false narratives.
My extensive police reports detail instances of stolen intellectual property and credible threats to my safety stemming from hundreds of fabricated videos.
This deliberate propagation of misinformation is designed to deceive audiences, creating a false sense of authenticity while undermining truth and trust online.
My documentary, Project: Bullyish, meticulously dissects these deceptive practices. It reveals how individuals with business acumen and initial funding establish companies to knowingly spread false information and pirate intellectual property.
These are not merely casual online participants; they are strategic actors who capitalize on digital ecosystems to execute premeditated video campaigns, often with titles designed to sensationalize and discredit.
A particularly disturbing facet of these operations, as explored in my research for Project: Bullyish, is the manipulation of online dynamics to create manufactured narratives. These entities often falsely portray themselves as victims of the very individuals they target, coopting and twisting their experiences for manipulative gain. This tactic is exemplified by certain corporations that have repeatedly engaged in the unauthorized use of my intellectual property and knowingly misled consumers with provocative, unsubstantiated content about my family and me.
My ongoing legal efforts, supported by police reports and an active detective, expose a relentless pattern of digital stalking and interference with my online presence. This highlights the sophisticated nature of these operations, which often involve international connections. The narrative control exerted by these entities, sometimes even extending to the use of AI avatars to generate content, underscores a deeper, more troubling intention than simple online disagreement.
A critical, yet deeply concerning, element of these campaigns is the observed involvement and exploitation of vulnerable individuals, including minors.
These professional manipulators leverage the impressionability of young audiences, using gaming platforms and private servers (like Discord) to expose them to inappropriate content and enlist them in spreading malicious information.
This orchestration of children within broader disinformation campaigns is a stark reminder of the urgent need for greater digital responsibility and safety. My work aims to bring these disturbing realities to light, advocating for heightened awareness and robust protective measures against such exploitation.
Confronting Digital Abuse: A Filmmaker's Call for Accountability
As a filmmaker and advocate, I firmly believe that combating the pervasive issue of online harassment and digital abuse demands a multifaceted approach, one that prioritizes decisive legal action.
Individuals must understand that severe online threats, relentless cyberstalking, and the proliferation of malicious deepfakes are not minor digital inconveniences; they represent grave criminal acts that necessitate serious engagement from law enforcement.
My personal experiences, marked by encountering egregious threats and disturbing deepfakes, have profoundly shaped my dedication to illuminating the real-world impact of digital harm. This journey has unequivocally underscored the vital importance of reporting these criminal actions to the police and diligently pursuing justice through the proper legal channels. I consistently collaborate with law enforcement, advocating for digital threats to be treated with the same gravity and diligence as any other crime.
A critical aspect of this fight involves holding online platforms and various digital entities to a higher standard of accountability.
Their role in mitigating the spread of malicious content and ensuring user safety is absolutely paramount. The alarming prevalence of unverified information sources, frequently manipulated by malicious actors, highlights an urgent and undeniable need for more robust digital governance.
Through my artistic work, most notably my documentary, I strive to bring these critical issues to the forefront.
My films act as a strong tool to explore the complex dynamics of digital abuse and to enable audiences to recognize and confront it actively. I believe it is crucial for people to understand the significant effects of organized online campaigns on individuals and families, and to acknowledge that while platforms enable connection, they have a fundamental responsibility to create a safer and more ethical digital space.
My cinematic endeavors are committed to examining these complex dynamics, inspiring the strength and resilience required to surmount such formidable challenges.
About Lillee Jean Trueman:
Lillee Jean Trueman is an actress, director, writer, producer, and filmmaker from New York City. In 2021, Trueman founded Bullyish to spearhead global discussions about criminal online stalking and coordinated attacks. Through her award-winning documentary film Project: Bullyish, she has gone on to shed light on how this criminal process is conducted by digital media corporations online. Through Trueman's own research and by involving appropriate law enforcement, she has continued to make people talk, globally, about the true underbelly of the World Wide Web.
Her documentary project received excellent acclaim abroad from those who have been harassed and stalked. Project Bullyish is an award-winner at the Humro Cinema Film Festival (June 2024), and the documentary won two Official Selection awards from FilmNest International Film Festival (June 2024), and Kurdistan International Independent Film Festival (December 2024) as well. In June 2025, Trueman's documentary touched French viewers through livestreams globally, amplifying discussions for coordinated criminal harassment attacks.
Through Bullyish, Trueman has continued to advocate for various topics related to cyber technologies, including AI usage and IP protections. Above a documentary, Trueman promotes combating stalking online through education, true in-depth journalism, and the integrity of insight into the truth of online dangers.
©️ 2025 Lillee Jean Trueman. All rights reserved. This article contains the personal opinions and experiences of the author and is not intended to provide legal, financial, or any other professional advice. Readers should consult with a qualified professional for advice regarding their specific situation. The publisher is not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this article.
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