Minister warns foreign actors may spread false info on virus to impact election

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan says he has instructed police to be ready for the spread of false information about the coronavirus to influence the March 2 elections.

“It can’t be ignored that we’re a week and a half before the elections and of course there is a concern there will be implications of the corona[virus] on the elections themselves and elements who will try to harm the integrity of the elections, distribute false reports — fake news — on the matter in order to influence the voting percentage in certain areas,” Erdan says during a situational assessment on the virus at the Health Ministry.

He adds: “It must be understood that this is of course a crime of harming the purity of the elections.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chimes in that the Shin Bet security agency is also prepared for dealing with foreign actors trying to spread “fake news” about the virus to influence voting.

Neither Netanyahu nor Erdan identifies anyone who might potentially do so. US officials said yesterday that there was a Russian-linked social media campaign to spread panic about the virus.

During the meeting, Erdan also says police will help with enforcing Health Ministry guidelines on home quarantines.