Only official accounts: IDF spokesperson halts social media activity

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin issued a directive to freeze the activity of many digital accounts in the IDF, except for the official accounts of the military, its branches, and commands. The directive aims to regulate social media activity, partly due to the election period and the need to maintain statehood and message uniformity. The move follows public controversies linking IDF figures to online activity.

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin issued a new directive to freeze the activity of many digital accounts in the IDF, including social media accounts of various units and frameworks. According to the directive, at this stage, activity will only be allowed on the official IDF accounts, as well as accounts of branches, arms, and commands, at the command level only. In a letter signed by Defrin, it was written that in recent years, websites and social media accounts were opened and operated in the IDF, including Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and TikTok, by various frameworks, and some were opened without prior approval and without oversight and accompaniment of the spokesperson unit. The directive states that activity of digital accounts of divisions, brigades, and staff frameworks will be frozen, and any exception will require approval only from the IDF Spokesperson. The IDF Spokesperson's office explained that the move aims to re-regulate the military's activity on social media, partly due to the election period and the need to maintain statehood and message uniformity. The decision comes after several public controversies, including a case of a female soldier from the IDF Spokesperson's unit who was photographed with a controversial social media influencer and received a suspended prison sentence, and a video of a social media star dancing in IDF uniform at a position set up without approval. Now, the IDF seeks to centralize digital activity under tighter supervision and reduce independent activity of units.