France accuses Israeli firm of interfering in Scottish elections and targeting SNP

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France's cybersecurity agency has accused the Israeli tech company BlackCore of interfering in the Scottish elections earlier this year, as well as in elections in several other countries, according to reports from The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post.

The disinformation detection agency Viginum said on Thursday that BlackCore had used proxy social media accounts to target John Swinney, the Scottish National party (SNP), and the Scottish government on four occasions, as reported by The Guardian.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post both reported the accusations, with each outlet providing similar details. The Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, noted that French authorities had already suspected BlackCore of running an online smear campaign against three candidates from the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) ahead of municipal elections in March. The Guardian's report focused on the Scottish angle, emphasizing the specific targeting of Swinney and the SNP.

Both sources quoted Marc-Antoine Brillant, the head of digital interference at Viginum, who said the same modus operandi appeared to have been used in other countries or regions, including Angola, Togo, the elections in Scotland, and the 2025 municipal election in New York.

Key Claims

• BlackCore is suspected of interfering in France's local elections and is also suspected of meddling in elections in New York City and Scotland, as well as operating in Angola and Togo, according to Viginum and as reported by multiple sources.
• French authorities suspected BlackCore of being behind an online smear campaign targeting three candidates from the hard-left France Unbowed party (LFI) ahead of municipal elections in March, Reuters reported.
• Suspected crimes included foreign espionage, election fraud carried out with false news or fraudulent maneuvers, and online advocacy of terrorism, according to French authorities.
• BlackCore used proxy social media accounts to target John Swinney and the Scottish National party, with the Scottish government targeted on four occasions, per Viginum and as reported by The Guardian.
• Viginum's head of digital interference, Marc-Antoine Brillant, said investigations identified BlackCore as the culprit but that it was still unclear who had commissioned the company.
• John Swinney said online disinformation posed 'a real and present threat' to democracy, and urged the UK government to make hostile state interference a much higher priority, as reported by a single source.

Perspectives

Marc-Antoine Brillant, speaking at a press conference alongside French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, stated: "This modus operandi was not limited to municipal elections in France. It also appears to have been used to carry out foreign digital interference operations in other countries or regions, such as Angola, Togo, the elections in Scotland, and the 2025 municipal election in New York." He added that Viginum's investigations did not make it possible to identify the sponsor or sponsors, "if indeed they exist."

John Swinney, the Scottish First Minister, expressed concern about the threat of foreign online political interference, as reported by The Guardian. He called on the UK government to prioritize addressing hostile state interference.

The Jerusalem Post's coverage noted that French authorities opened a probe into the campaign "after coming under mounting pressure to provide answers over incidents that raised awkward questions about the security of French elections."

As of this writing, BlackCore has not publicly responded to the accusations, and no independent verification of Viginum's claims has been reported beyond the agency's findings.