Allegations of digital interference in Scotland's recent elections have sparked a diplomatic row, with France's national cybersecurity agency pointing the finger at an Israeli technology company. BlackCore, the accused firm, has offered sophisticated influence operations to governments and campaigns worldwide, raising questions about its role in shaping narratives on social media platforms.
According to Viginum, the French agency, BlackCore targeted Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and the Scottish National Party (SNP) through proxy social media accounts, with 256 accounts used to disseminate approximately 1,400 comments over four separate occasions between January and May. Mr Swinney's account was allegedly targeted 652 times, the SNP's 338 times, and the Scottish Government's 112 times.
The report suggests BlackCore's operations went beyond Scotland, with significant activity observed in France's municipal elections, as well as mayoral contests in New York and political processes in Togo and Angola. Despite identifying BlackCore as responsible, Viginum has not revealed who commissioned the company for these activities.
BlackCore had previously described itself as an "elite influence, cyber and technology company" offering cutting-edge strategies to shape narratives on social media platforms. After being contacted by Reuters reporters, the company's website was taken down, and it has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The Israeli government has stated that it will await the full French report before deciding whether to initiate an investigation, while denying any interest in interfering with other countries' elections. First Minister John Swinney has urged the UK government to take urgent steps to safeguard democratic processes from foreign online interference.
The allegations have raised significant concerns about the integrity of democratic elections and the potential for external actors to influence political discourse. The Scottish Government and the Cabinet Office have been approached for comment regarding Viginum's findings.