Israeli Firm BlackCore Targets Scottish First Minister with Disinformation Campaign

John Swinney, Scotland's First Minister, was targeted by an Israeli firm, BlackCore, during the recent Holyrood election campaign. A French government agency, Viginum, reported that over 1,400 coordinated posts were made from 256 fake social media accounts, primarily aimed at Swinney and the Scottish National Party (SNP). The disinformation campaign coincided with Swinney's vocal criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. The operation was identified as part of a broader pattern of digital interference that included similar activities in France, New York, Angola, and Togo. The attacks on Swinney's accounts were noted to have occurred between January 6 and May 8, 2026. The SNP's head of digital communications, Ross Colquhoun, reported repeated hacking attempts on his accounts during the election period. The French government has not yet identified who commissioned BlackCore for these operations. Swinney has called for urgent measures to counter foreign online political interference.

Key Points: • John Swinney's social media was targeted by 1,400 posts from 256 fake accounts. • The disinformation campaign was linked to the Israeli firm BlackCore, also involved in international operations. • The SNP's digital head reported repeated hacking attempts during the election campaign.