Israel election sees surge in bots, deepfakes and voter surveillance
Ahead of a tight general election, Israeli parties are using AI-generated videos, bot networks and data-tracking apps to sway voters and suppress turnout.
At a glance
- Israel's general election is a near tie, with both Netanyahu and the opposition using bots and deepfakes to sway voters.
- Haaretz reports bots once used against Iran are now spreading pro-Likud propaganda online.
- Likud is using a new app, Victory 26, to track turnout and target non-voters after privacy concerns blocked Elector.
Israel's closely contested general election on Tuesday is being fought largely online, with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition deploying bots, deepfake videos and voter-tracking technology to influence undecided voters and suppress turnout. Polls show the two sides in a near tie, making every vote critical.
According to Haaretz, dozens of bots originally created to target the Iranian government have been repurposed to spread pro-Likud propaganda and discredit opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett. Both camps are flooding social media platform X with AI-generated and deepfake videos, some depicting Netanyahu confronting his record before the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, while others attempt to link the opposition to Arab parties seen as potential kingmakers.
Mauricio Lapchik, director of the Joint List’s Hebrew campaign, criticized the technological arms race, saying, “We’re competing against parties with far greater budgets and technological resources… The use of technology is clearly deepening an already unequal playing field.”
The Israeli right has also focused significant digital efforts on undermining left-wing Arab-led parties such as the Joint List and Ra’am. Likud initially sought to use an app called Elector to track voter turnout but was blocked by the Central Elections Committee over privacy concerns. Instead, they are promoting a new app, Victory 26, which identifies low-turnout areas without revealing individual identities, allowing activists to manually collect names of voters and target non-voters.
Privacy concerns are especially acute for Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up roughly 20 percent of the population and already face heavy surveillance. Far-right ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have used AI videos to demonize Palestinians, including one showing Gazans portrayed as donkeys being herded to Paris.
Political scientists warn that these tactics deepen “affective polarization,” entrenching divisions and pushing swing voters toward their respective blocs. With turnout expected to decide the outcome, both sides are leveraging fear and identity to mobilize their bases.
Questions and answers
- What role are deepfakes playing in Israel's election?
- Both Netanyahu's camp and the opposition are using AI-generated and deepfake videos on social media to attack rivals, with some showing Netanyahu confronting his record before October 7 and others linking the opposition to Arab parties.
- How is voter data being used in the campaign?
- Likud is promoting an app called Victory 26 to identify low-turnout areas and target non-voters, after the Central Elections Committee blocked a previous app, Elector, over privacy concerns.
- Why are Palestinian citizens of Israel particularly affected?
- They make up about 20 percent of the population and already face heavy surveillance. Far-right ministers have used AI videos to demonize them, raising fears about privacy and political targeting.
