Israeli tech firm accused of targeting First Minister John Swinney
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- French authorities allege that Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and the SNP were targeted by an Israeli tech firm, BlackCore, which spread online disinformation ahead of the Scottish Parliament election.
- BlackCore is accused of running coordinated online smear campaigns using inauthentic social media accounts to influence political narratives, including attacks on pro-Palestine candidates.
- Swinney condemned the interference, calling for urgent UK government action to counter foreign online political interference and protect democratic processes.
- The French government has formally requested an explanation from Israel regarding BlackCore’s activities and is seeking assistance to identify those behind the disinformation campaigns.
- BlackCore’s interference reportedly spans multiple countries, including France, Angola, Togo, and the US, but investigators have not yet identified who commissioned the firm’s operations.