Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends a meeting of the Likud party in the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem. (photo credit: REUTERS)
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A network of hundreds of fake accounts used for echoing Likud messages and smearing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political rivals were discovered by an Israeli watchdog, according to a report by Yediot Ahronot’s Ronen Bergman on Monday.
The network of accounts were used to repost Likud’s campaign ads both on Twitter and Facebook as well as post replies by Likud members, Likud campaign ads and posts by the prime minister’s son, Yair Netanyahu’s.
The watchdog “Big Bots Project” did not find a direct link between the operators of the accounts and the prime minister, his son or any Likud member. The report, however, stated that the accounts “appeared to operate in coordination with the party and Mr. Netanyahu’s re-election campaign.”
“The network operates through manipulations, slander, lies and spreading rumors,” Ynet’s report said. “On its busiest days, the network sends out thousands of tweets.”
The accounts seemed to be mostly unused ones that became active since the announcement of elections in December, as the accounts were “most active at climactic moments for Netanyahu, such as the announcement of the indictment against him,” according to the report.
“All of the Likud’s digital activity is entirely authentic and is based on the great support of the citizens of Israel for Prime Minister Netanyahu and the great achievements of the Likud,” the Likud Spokesperson said on Sunday.
Among the findings of the report:
• The network consists of hundreds of fake accounts carrying fake names and profile pictures.
• On peak events, the network shared thousands of tweets a day in favor of Netanyahu and the Likud. It is clear that the network was most active during key times, such as the publication of the indictment against Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s interview on Channel 12, and the launch of the ‘Blue and White’ campaign.
• Experts estimate that there are over 2.5 million exposures to the network’s posts among Israeli citizens.
• The content distributed by the network includes accusations of rape, spreading lies, cruel personal attacks on politicians and public figures, and incitement against entire populations.
• According to suspicions, one of the network’s activists is Yitzhak Hadad, who admitted in a recorded conversation that he is an undercover activist in the initiative “with a lot of money” in favor of the right, and that he is in contact with senior Likud members.
The Blue and White party responded to the report, claiming that “Netanyahu is trying to steal the elections. The report reveals that the ugly slanderous system in Israel’s history is directly employed by Netanyahu.”
We call for the immediate police investigation to find the sources who funded the campaign, as well as for Chairman of the Elections Committee, Judge Hanan Meltzer, to immediately order the cessation of this ugly fake news campaign.” The Blue and White commented.
The Blue and White added that “after 13 years in power Netanyahu has lost control. After realizing that he is about to lose the election, he tries to fraud his way to victory, if it succeeds, Israel will cease to be a democracy. Every decent citizen of Israel, Right or Left, must stand against the attempt to destroy our democratic foundations.”
Meretz chairman MK Tamar Zandberg said she will call on Attorney-General Acivhai Mandelblit to open an investigation against Netanyahu’s network of bots.
“It turns out that the dirty attack against the Left on the pretext of “foreign financing,” the atmosphere of fear and silence that has taken over here is intended to conceal a systematic, organized, and funded propaganda machine.” Zandberg said. “This is case 6000, and it is the harshest of all – the sowing of incitement and disturbed violence and the crumbling of Israeli society in exchange for political survival. We will turn to the Attorney-General to open an investigation.”
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