Ahead of Knesset elections, Israel must enforce rules to combat AI disinformation - editorial

Israel's election campaign has begun, with an AI-generated Likud video depicting Gadi Eisenkot embracing Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas, which critics said resembled Eisenkot's son Gal, killed in Gaza. The Central Elections Committee issued temporary regulations requiring labels on digitally created or altered campaign material. The editorial argues for enforcement, accountability of parties, fast complaint processes, meaningful penalties, and a national mechanism to counter foreign influence, warning that democracy depends on a shared factual world.

Israel's election campaign has begun, and an AI-generated Likud campaign video has already sparked controversy. The video depicted Gadi Eisenkot turning away from a figure wearing an 'Israeli unity' shirt and embracing Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas. Critics said the figure resembled Eisenkot's son Gal, who was killed in Gaza in December 2023. Likud denied that the resemblance was intentional, and a revised version replaced the figure with a woman. The incident was described as cruel and reckless, exposing a larger problem: Israel is entering its first election since the October 7 massacre amid social tension, and AI now allows almost anyone to create convincing fake images, voices, and videos. The Central Elections Committee has taken a first step by issuing temporary regulations requiring labels on campaign material that has been digitally created or substantially altered in ways that could be mistaken for authentic content. Disclosures must be prominent, labels must remain visible throughout video footage, and audio must carry warnings at the beginning and end. Failure to disclose may be considered a violation of the law. The editorial argues that these rules are welcome but only a beginning. It calls for political parties to be accountable for material on official channels and coordinated content, for a fast and transparent complaint process, for meaningful penalties, and for social media companies to respond swiftly to clear evidence of deceptive videos. It also warns that foreign actors, including Turkey and Iran, are suspected of attempting to influence the election, and that Israel needs a coordinated national mechanism to counter foreign influence operations. The editorial concludes that democracy depends on a shared factual world, and citizens must be free to choose between competing versions of Israel's future, not competing versions of reality.