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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 477

Bots

An Israeli passport on January 18, 2023. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
April 20, 2023, 12:00 am
Population Authority to open new office in bid to ease passport appointment shortage
Interior Ministry body hopes to provide hundreds more meetings a day to solve issue, as networks of hackers and bots scoop up time slots, sell them for steep prices online
By ToI Staff
Illustrative: Israeli passports in Jerusalem, January 18, 2023. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
April 16, 2023, 6:32 pm
Unable to renew passports, many Israelis resort to paying scalpers for appointments
With backlog of a million pending renewals following pandemic, some pay hundreds of dollars as system is overwhelmed by hackers
By Michael Bachner and ToI Staff
Former US president Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, March 4, 2023. (Alex Brandon/AP)
March 6, 2023, 4:44 pm
Israeli tech sleuths uncover pro-Trump bot network swarming presidential rivals
Cyabra researchers identify 3 networks of potentially hundreds of thousands of fake accounts criticizing DeSantis and Haley, in manipulation of mainstream US Republican sentiment
By David Klepper
The LinkedIn logo is displayed during a product announcement Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, in San Francisco. (AP/Eric Risberg)
August 26, 2022, 5:09 am
Israeli tech worker goes viral with AI bot that churns out ‘cringe’ LinkedIn posts
Tom Orbach’s generator pokes fun at some of the more popular posts on the platform, which has gained a reputation for inspirational messages ranging from tone-deaf to nonsensical
By Ricky Ben-David
The Twitter app is seen on a digital device, Monday, April 25, 2022, in San Diego. (AP/Gregory Bull)
May 17, 2022, 7:31 pm
Fake accounts on Twitter comprise over 13%, says Israeli tech startup
As Musk appears to tiptoe back on $44b acquisition of Twitter over scale of user inauthenticity, Tel Aviv company Cyabra says it estimates millions of fake accounts
By Ricky Ben-David
CEO Elon Musk departs from the justice center in Wilmington, Delaware, July 13, 2021. (AP/Matt Rourke, File)
May 17, 2022, 2:07 pm
Musk: Twitter deal can’t go ahead without proof under 5% of accounts are bots
Tesla CEO says he wants confirmation of platform’s estimates on number of fake users, claims true number is at least 20% or higher; comment bolsters theory he may not want deal
By AP
Illustrative: Likud supporters protest outside the home of Yamina MK Ayelet Shaked in Tel Aviv on May 30, 2021. (Flash90)
December 29, 2021, 11:07 pm
Report: Aiming to sow chaos in Israel, fake accounts target Likud activists online
Israeli TV claims Iranian actors created fake accounts to share extremist political content in both pro- and anti-Netanyahu Facebook groups, reached a million people
By ToI Staff
Fake news uncovered by student volunteers at the IDC Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, central Israel. (Courtesy IDC)
May 20, 2021, 3:57 pm
Students expose fake social media reports on Israel-Gaza, to set record straight
Around 180 students from Israel and around the world staff situation room at Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, looking out for false anti-Israel coverage and explaining facts
By Sue Surkes
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. (Oded Balilty and Jack Guez/AFP)
April 8, 2019, 6:41 pm
Netanyahu is most-tweeted-about Israeli politician, Gantz is second
On eve of elections, PM’s Twitter supporters tout his foreign policy prowess; detractors tweet about his alleged lack of integrity
By Simona Weinglass
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a Likud Hanukkah event on December 2, 2018 (screen capture: Facebook)
April 1, 2019, 11:59 am
Gantz claims Netanyahu trying to steal elections as ‘fake news’ network revealed
Watchdog says hundreds of bogus social media profiles, with 2.5 million hits, working to boost PM, smear his rivals; Blue and White demands police probe; Likud denies involvement
By Raoul Wootliff
Benny Gantz, left, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right. (Gili Yaari, Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 28, 2019, 7:15 pm
Fake news hits new high as bots, trolls continue to bat for Netanyahu – report
Vocativ media company’s ninth weekly summary finds that Blue and White leader Gantz still leads as target of most negative false news online
By Sue Surkes
A victorious Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets supporters at Likud party election headquarters In Tel Aviv. early on March 18, 2015. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
March 28, 2019, 8:45 am
With over 6 million online followers, PM’s internet empire prepares for election
Amid a campaign high on spite and fake news, Netanyahu is uniquely placed to impact the biggest audience. Does he have another ‘Arabs turning out in droves’ surprise in store?
By Sue Surkes
This post, from a site called amadnews_official, carries a speech bubble saying, "Neither, Gaza nor Lebanon, my [soul] is for Iran," and a somewhat obscure caption which says, "Amed News, lets cry blood, we will not forget you ever, Tehran, Mashad, Shahin Najafi, Restart, Wednesday without suppression, White Wednesday, Human Echo, Celebrity." (Facebook)
March 26, 2019, 3:38 pm
Facebook smashes Iranian manipulation campaign targeting Israel, others
Account holders presented themselves as locals, often impersonating real political groups and media organizations
By Sue Surkes
Head of the Blue and White party, Benny Gantz, speaks during a campaign event in Haifa, on March 17, 2019. (Flash90)
March 21, 2019, 10:15 pm
Gantz is target of most fake news for 8th week running — report
One false item claims Gantz phone hack was ordered by a senior official in the Blue and White party and carried out by an Israeli company, Vocativ media company says
By Sue Surkes
Illustrative. Gabi Ashkenazi of the Blue and White party during a campaign event in northern Israel, March 7, 2019. (Meir Vaknin/Flash90)
March 14, 2019, 6:43 pm
Watchdog company: Gabi Ashkenazi, Rotem Sela newest targets of fake news
Ex-IDF chief turned Blue and White candidate falsely accused of ‘betraying country,’ while model who criticized Likud party’s stance on Arabs is shown sitting on Arab MK’s lap
By Sue Surkes
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