Israel's alleged covert social media campaign to influence US support

According to reports from the New York Times, Israel launched a massive covert social media campaign after the outbreak of war on October 7, aiming to gain support from US lawmakers and the public for IDF operations in Gaza. .

The Ministry of Diaspora is said to have invested two million dollars in this initiative, as revealed by documents disclosed by sources close to the lobbying.

The campaign, allegedly orchestrated by the Diaspora Ministry, involved the use of fake social media accounts to spread pro-Israel messages. Sources said an Israeli company named Stoic had been hired for the purpose. Documents suggest the campaign began in October on various social media sites, with hundreds of fake accounts posing as Americans and posting content advocating continued military aid to Israel, particularly targeting Democratic lawmakers.

Additionally, English-language news sites featuring pro-Israel content, including articles generated by the ChatGPT bot, were allegedly used in the campaign. While experts point out that this is the first example of an influence campaign carried out by Israeli authorities, the Diaspora Ministry has denied any involvement in the enterprise, saying there is no connection with Stoic.

The Fake Reporter organization observed that the fake accounts amassed more than 40,000 followers on social media, although Meta, Facebook's parent company, noted that the campaign did not have the expected impact and suggested that many followers could be automated accounts. A total of 510 Facebook accounts, 11 websites and 32 Instagram accounts were reportedly activated as part of this lobbying initiative.

In response to the escalating conflict, Israeli officials have reportedly tapped numerous startups to launch digital campaigns on behalf of the state.