The war for truth: How we will deal with the flood of fake news in the elections

Just before the elections, concerns are growing about the impact of false information on social networks on the ability to make rational decisions at the ballot box. Dr. Mia Mazor Tregerman explains that Israeli society is particularly vulnerable due to polarization, instability, and widespread use of networks, but studies show that lies can be fought using simple tools such as education for critical thinking, pausing before sharing, and familiarity with deception techniques.

Just before the elections in Israel, concerns are growing about the widespread distribution of false information on social networks and its possible impact on voters' ability to make rational decisions at the ballot box. Dr. Mia Mazor Tregerman, Vice Dean of the School of Communication at Netanya Academic College, explains that Israeli society is particularly vulnerable to fake news due to a problematic combination of growing political and social polarization, political and security instability, widespread use of social networks, and relatively low media literacy compared to the world. However, studies show that most users are able to distinguish between truth and lies, and prefer to share true content. Practical tools for coping include education for critical thinking, stopping to examine content before sharing, and familiarity with common deception techniques such as taking information out of context, exaggerating conflicts in "us or them" messages, and using emotional manipulations. The State Comptroller's report from July 2026 warns that significant deficiencies in dealing with the phenomenon have not been addressed for years, and Israel has no orderly national policy on the matter.