Israel's Supreme Court Bans Election App, Citing Privacy Concerns
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Israel's Supreme Court has banned the use of the "Elector" app, which tracked voters in real-time for political parties, citing privacy violations. The decision reversed a prior approval by the Central Elections Committee and sparked criticism from some politicians who called it a politically motivated interference in the democratic process.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Supreme Court bans 'Elector' app used to track voters on election day.
- Court cited violation of privacy rights and lack of legal authority.
- Decision reverses earlier approval by the Central Elections Committee.
- Critics claim the ruling unfairly impacts parties and interferes with democracy.
- General voting turnout data will still be released publicly.
Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a decision by the Central Elections Committee, prohibiting the use of the "Elector" application on election day. The app allowed parties to receive real-time information on which citizens had voted, enabling them to target and encourage non-voters. The court, led by Justice Yael Vilner, ruled that the app's functionality constitutes a "violation of the right to privacy" and that the Central Elections Committee lacked the legal authority to approve its use.
Vilner stated that the transfer of information about voters infringes upon privacy rights and contravenes the Privacy Protection Law. This ruling reverses a decision made by the Central Elections Committee just two weeks prior, which had approved the use of such reporting applications, overriding an earlier objection by Justice Noam Sohlberg. Sohlberg had argued that the information was intended for election integrity oversight, not for partisan use in mobilizing voters.
While the app's use is banned, general information on voting rates at each polling station will still be publicly released to all lists without revealing individual voter identities. The decision drew sharp criticism from some political figures. MK Erez Malul, Deputy Chairman of the Central Elections Committee, called the ruling a "change of the rules mid-game" that would harm the democratic process and potentially lower voter turnout. He argued it disconnects from the reality on the ground and limits legitimate factional operations on election day.
Minister of Justice Yariv Levin also condemned the decision, suggesting it was politically motivated by judges seeking to influence the next government's ability to appoint Supreme Court justices. He characterized the ruling as a "desperate move" and an attempt to halt judicial reform and manipulate election outcomes. The Religious Zionist Party echoed these sentiments, claiming the ban unfairly targets right-wing parties' ability to mobilize supporters and represents a blatant intervention in the electoral process.
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