Assange, Snowden the surprise backers of Catalan independence

Research independently confirmed by Fairfax Media shows Twitter accounts of WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange as well as former National Security Administrator contractor Edward Snowden now account for nearly a third of all Twitter traffic under the hashtag #Catalonia.

Assange has peppered his followers with more than 80 original tweets supporting the Catalan independence referendum, suggesting "the future of Western civilisation is being revealed" by the renewed push by regional secessionists.

Those tweets have been generously shared.

Of the 150,279 tweets and retweets using the #Catalonia hashtag in the 10 days until Sunday, more than 40,368 came from the Julian Assange account, according to one measure by social media analysis account Conspirator Norteno. A further 8198 came from the Edward Snowden Twitter account.

Others included the WikiLeaks account, with 2120 #Catalonia tweets and retweets, while Russia-owned network RT generated 598 tweets and retweets.

The surge in pro-secession messages comes as authorities in Madrid contend with a new move for independence in the autonomous region of Catalonia. Spanish authorities have moved to quash a October 1 referendum by dissolving the region's election commission, arresting local officials and seizing campaign materials.

Neither WikiLeaks' Julian Assange nor Edward Snowden, have a deep history of involvement with Spanish politics.

Assange, the Australian self-proclaimed editor or transparency activist living in exile at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, is also famous for pushing out information hacked by Russian outfits and used to discredit US politicians and political process. WikiLeaks has also actively promoted conspiracy theories such as that surrounding the unsolved murder of Democrat worker Seth Rich.

Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, absconded to Moscow, where he now lives, with thousands of classified documents in 2013.

Hashtag analysis service Hashtagify, accessed on Tuesday, identified the Snowden account as the biggest "influencer" for the hashtag, followed by Julian Assange.

While neither Assange nor Snowden, a US citizen, have been known for links to Spain, they do have links to Russia, which has embraced coordinated social media campaigns to weaken Western governments by fomenting division within borders.

As seen during the US election, Brexit in the UK, and the French election, Russian-linked trolls and bot networks have been active in trying to shape national political discourses.

This strategy, often employing intermediaries, leverages the information power of Russian strategists against the greater wealth and military might of NATO members.

The Twitter accounts of both Snowden and Assange have published statements that distort or exaggerate what is happening in Spain.

Recent polls show 49 per cent of Catalans oppose independence. That segment is less likely to participate in the referendum. However, the 41 per cent who support becoming an autonomous nation, are likely to participate.

A "discredited" vote is expected to go ahead in Catalonia. Whether Assange and Snowden tweeting about Catalonia in English would make much difference on the ground, is not clear.

However, casting doubt about the legitimacy of the Spanish government over Catalonia may have a longer-term effect.

"The right of self-determination - for people to freely decide their own system of government - cannot simply be outlawed. It is a human right," Snowden's account tweeted on September 21.

Fairfax Media has sought comment from Assange's and Snowden's Twitter accounts.