France probes alleged election interference by Israeli company

Paris prosecutors opened a probe into whether an Israeli company interfered in French elections. The investigation examines claims by three far-left La France Insoumise members that they were targeted by disinformation campaigns. Allegations include false accusations, social media manipulation, and fake campaign visuals. Sebastien Delogu reported a billboard with his name and a QR code linking to false rape accusations. Francois Piquemal said pages were created on social networks spreading rumors and that his social media passwords were published. David Guiraud reported similar targeting. The probe follows a Viginum finding of artificial or automated dissemination of manifestly inaccurate or misleading content. Prosecutors said they have not yet found indications of involvement by the Israeli government.

""You get in your car and you see a billboard with your name and a QR code that links to false accusations of rape," Delogu told reporters last week."

"Piquemal said his campaign faced, "the creation of pages on social networks spreading the worst rumours", along with publication of his social media passwords."

"The case was opened after Viginum, France's government body responsible for combatting online disinformation, said that it had noted a "system of artificial or automated dissemination to spread manifestly inaccurate or misleading content"."

""This malicious campaign, involving an actor located abroad, is liable to undermine the fundamental interests of the nation, insofar as it deliberately seeks to distort citizens' access to information," the agency said."

Read at The Local France