French authorities stated that the Israeli company BlackCore may be involved in digital interference campaigns in elections in several countries. According to Viginum, the company's activities affected not only France but also the USA, the UK, Angola, and Togo.
The head of the French service for combating foreign information interference, Viginum, Marc-Antoine Brian, stated that the company BlackCore is suspected of organizing an online campaign to discredit several candidates in the municipal elections in France.
According to Brian, the targets of the information attack were three mayoral candidates representing the left-wing pro-Palestinian party "La France Insoumise" (LFI). He made this statement at a joint press conference with French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne.
Later, Viginum published a detailed report stating that BlackCore's activities could extend far beyond France.
According to French specialists, the company was allegedly involved in digital influence operations during the elections in Scotland, the 2025 municipal elections in New York, as well as in electoral campaigns in Angola and Togo.
At the same time, French intelligence services have not yet established who might have commissioned the alleged information influence operations. The French authorities intend to clarify this issue with the assistance of the Israeli side.
The Prime Minister of France reported that Paris has already approached Israel for clarification and legal assistance in the investigation.
In turn, the Israeli embassy in France rejected the assumptions of possible state involvement in any attempts to influence the French elections.
The diplomatic mission emphasized that Israel does not intend to interfere in France's internal political processes at either the national or municipal level.
The investigation is ongoing, and the French authorities aim to determine both the scale of the alleged operations and the individuals who may have been behind their organization and financing.
The accusations against BlackCore are another example of the growing concern among European states regarding foreign digital interference in electoral processes. However, the question of who commissioned the alleged influence campaigns remains unanswered.
Leave a comment