Bots, deepfakes and surveillance: Israel’s election goes to war online

With Israel’s general election approaching, polls show the blocs of Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot virtually tied. Both sides are using social media ads and AI-generated videos to mobilize voters and attack their rivals. Haaretz reported that dozens of bots originally created to undermine Iran’s government have been repurposed to promote Netanyahu and Likud and warn voters about Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett. Deepfakes on X include videos showing Netanyahu facing alleged failures before the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, while others portray the opposition as sympathetic to Arab parties.