disinformation

From the upcoming 12th Hansen House Design Week in Jerusalem, June 22-29, 2023, by Esmee Willemen. (Courtesy: PR)

June 19, 2023, 7:22 pm

Truth and lies get creative treatment at Jerusalem Design Week

Former leper hospital Hansen House shows off recent renovation and works of 170 designers and architects at 12th annual event

By Jessica Steinberg

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a ceremony in Moscow on June 12, 2023. (Gavriil Grigorov / Sputnik / AFP)

June 13, 2023, 7:26 pm

France says it uncovered major Russian disinformation effort; Israel said targeted

Russian entities set up counterfeit news sites disguised as popular outlets to publish content critical of pro-Ukraine stances

By AFP and ToI Staff

The Twitter splash page is seen on a digital device on April 25, 2022, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

May 27, 2023, 4:05 pm

Twitter quits voluntary EU agreement to combat online disinformation

Bloc official says social media giant’s ‘obligations remain’; code contains pledges such as better cooperation with fact-checkers, not promoting actors distributing disinformation

By AFP

An LGBTQ rights protest against the new government, in Tel Aviv, December 29, 2022. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

January 9, 2023, 6:58 am

Viral video shared by PM’s son of ‘leftists burning rabbi’s photo’ found to be fake

Disinformation watchdog says crudely spliced video, showing picture of Rabbi Chaim Druckman going up in flames, was likely disseminated by foreign agents seeking to sow discord

By Ash Obel

Police officers work outside a grain depot where, according to the Polish government, an explosion of a Russian-made missile killed two people in Przewodow, Poland, Nov. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)

November 16, 2022, 2:55 pm

Moscow says Kyiv responsible for Poland missile blast that killed 2

Western officials also say explosion likely caused by Ukrainian interceptor; had sparked international concern over a possible further escalation of conflict

By AFP

Twitter headquarters on the intersection of Market Street and 10th Street on November 4, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (David Odisho/Getty Images/AFP)

November 6, 2022, 2:23 am

UN urges Musk to ensure Twitter respects human rights, prevents hate speech

UN rights chief says free speech ‘is not a free pass,’ as world’s richest man sacks around half of social media platform’s workforce, including entire human rights team

By AFP and ToI Staff

Workers prepare ballot boxes for the upcoming elections, at the Central Elections Committee warehouse in Shoham, October 12, 2022 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

October 30, 2022, 5:20 am

Experts warn Israel vulnerable to online threats, including from Iran, ahead of vote

Analysts, officials say that while concerns are low about direct attack on voting infrastructure, enemies may be trying to sow societal divisions via online misinformation efforts

By Jonah Mandel

A caricature of far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir shared by a fake account on Twitter that was exposed by FakeReporter, October 18, 2022. (Screenshot/Twitter: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

October 20, 2022, 12:40 pm

Twitter removes fake profiles promoting friction ahead of Israeli election

The network focused its activity on far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir and was exposed by FakeReporter, an Israeli initiative that aims to highlight disinformation online

By Tobias Siegal

Blood stains are seen on a damaged car after a deadly Russian missile attack in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, July 14, 2022 (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

July 16, 2022, 5:23 am

Russia’s information war expands through Eastern Europe

Moscow is using fake accounts and propaganda to spread fears about refugees and rising fuel prices while calling the West an untrustworthy ally

By David Klepper

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during the Victory Day military parade marking the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2022. (Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

May 15, 2022, 5:38 pm

Does Putin have cancer? Oligarch close to Kremlin claims Russian leader ‘very ill’

Recording of unnamed businessman obtained by New Lines Magazine indicates Russian president’s health is badly deteriorating; could also be part of a Kremlin disinformation campaign

By ToI Staff

Illustrative: Egyptian prisoners of war are shown during the Arab-Israeli Six Day War in June 1967. Exact date and location unknown. (AP Photo)

May 14, 2022, 11:43 pm

Secret UK propaganda campaign stoked Israel hatred to appear authentic — documents

Declassified files show Britain attempted to sow division between Moscow and its Arab allies using fake reports blaming both sides for Egypt’s defeat in the 1967 Six Day War

By ToI Staff

Video released by Russian security forces on April 26, 2022, shows apparent arrest of neo-Nazis who plotted to assassinate Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov, deemed by some as a staged plot by Russia. (Screengrab/Russian police)

April 26, 2022, 11:05 am

Russia accused of faking Ukrainian assassination plot of Russian TV host

Photos released by Russian police from the apparent scene of arrest show Nazi memorabilia next to copies of The Sims 3 video game, which critics say was mistaken for SIM cards

By ToI Staff

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the US Congress by video to plead for support as his country is besieged by Russian forces at the US Capitol, on March 16, 2022, in Washington, DC. (J. Scott Applewhite-Pool/Getty Images/AFP)

April 3, 2022, 3:35 pm

Ukraine has upper hand in information war, but Russia eyes a long game

Kyiv’s messaging and communications resonate in the West, experts say, while Russia focuses inward and on India, China, Africa

By Ricky Ben-David and Ethan Freedman

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid arrive to attend a news conference, March 27, 2022, at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

March 27, 2022, 2:01 pm

Daily Briefing March 27: What you need to know about the ‘Negev Summit’

Lazar Berman previews the Sunday-Monday landmark meet-up; Ricky Ben David on Ukraine war disinformation; Haviv Rettig Gur examines why world isn’t putting sanctions on Israel, too

By ToI Staff