Scottish Conservative Candidate's Social Media Account Hacked During Election Campaign

• •Ross Hutton's social media account was hacked, promoting cryptocurrency scams.
• •The incident occurred during a crucial election campaign period in Scotland.
• •𝕏 is implementing measures to auto-lock accounts posting cryptocurrency content.

Ross Hutton, the Scottish Conservative candidate for Glasgow Southside, experienced a social media hack on his account on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) during the 2026 Holyrood election campaign. The hack occurred on April 17, 2026, when Hutton's account shifted from political posts about price caps to promoting cryptocurrency trading. A fraudulent post claimed he had received a payout of £50,000, suggesting a phishing attempt. This incident highlights vulnerabilities in social media accounts, especially during critical campaigning periods. 𝕏 has announced plans to auto-lock accounts that post cryptocurrency-related content for the first time to combat such hacks. The situation raises concerns about the security of political candidates' online presence and the potential for misinformation. As of now, the account remains compromised, and the candidate's team is likely working to regain control.