No paid ads, no AI fakes: TikTok prepares for Israeli elections

TikTok has published new rules ahead of the 26th Knesset elections: a ban on paid political advertising, impersonation, coordinated account activity, and deceptive use of artificial intelligence. The platform will require labeling of realistic AI-generated content, remove false information about the elections, and establish an Israeli task force to handle disinformation.

TikTok has published a series of new rules ahead of the 26th Knesset elections, aiming to prevent the spread of false information and improper influence on voters. Among the prohibitions: paid political advertising, impersonation of candidates or media outlets, use of bots and coordinated accounts, and misleading content created using artificial intelligence. The platform will require labeling of realistic AI-generated content, and will use a file origin identification standard and invisible watermarks. Additionally, an Israeli task force has been established, including information security and disinformation experts, which will operate alongside automated monitoring systems and human checks. TikTok will activate a dedicated election center in the app, based on official information from the Central Elections Committee. The rules are based on experience gained in more than 250 election campaigns worldwide.