France Investigates Israeli Firm BlackCore for Election Interference

French authorities are investigating whether the Israeli company BlackCore was involved in a foreign interference campaign targeting the hard-left party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) ahead of the municipal elections held in March 2026. The campaign allegedly included the creation of deceptive websites and social media accounts that spread false accusations of criminal behavior against three candidates. French intelligence agencies are probing who commissioned this smear campaign, which reportedly involved digital ads disparaging the candidates. BlackCore has been described as an 'elite influence, cyber, and technology company' that offers services for information warfare. The investigation follows reports of coordinated inauthentic behavior linked to BlackCore's activities, which also included operations in Africa. Major tech companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok have identified and removed accounts associated with this disinformation campaign. The situation highlights growing concerns about election integrity in France amid rising political polarization.

Key Points: • French authorities are investigating BlackCore for alleged election interference. • The smear campaign targeted candidates from the La France Insoumise party using deceptive tactics. • Major tech companies have removed accounts linked to BlackCore's disinformation efforts.