Former Finnish minister reports Facebook account hack to police

Former Finnish minister Sirpa Paatero has filed a police report after her Facebook account was hacked and used to share inappropriate content, Yle reports.

The Social Democrat politician’s account was compromised last Saturday, with the hacker posting videos containing sexual abuse and violence. Facebook later locked the account after the activity was detected.

Paatero, who served in three different Finnish governments, told Yle she was unaware of the posts at the time, as she was attending a meeting in Helsinki. “It feels quite bad and confusing. Who would have an interest in doing something like this?” she said.

Facebook notified Paatero that the account had been accessed from Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday morning. She has used the account for nearly 20 years, including for political communication, but now doubts she will recover it. “I’m wondering if I’ll ever go back there,” she said.

Paatero served as a member of parliament from 2006 to 2023 and held ministerial roles in the governments led by Alexander Stubb, Antti Rinne, and Sanna Marin. She currently chairs the board of the Kymenlaakso Shelter and Crisis Centre Association.