TikTok Israel Connects Creators With Bereaved Families to Promote Respectful Online Discourse

Ahead of upcoming elections, TikTok Israel hosted a meeting between 20 leading content creators, who generally avoid political content, and representatives from "HaDibbur" (The Talk), an initiative founded by families of October 7th victims. The initiative aims to foster respectful dialogue in Israel and online. Content creators like Alex Shultz, Amit Ben David, Alina Rabinovich, and Avia Hochman shared their reasons for maintaining neutrality and discussed how TikTok combats fake news.

TikTok Israel is actively working to prevent fake news and foreign influence, and to promote respectful discourse during the election period. The company organized a meeting at its Tel Aviv offices, in collaboration with the Central Elections Committee, bringing together "HaDibbur" representatives and approximately 20 prominent TikTok creators. These creators, who primarily focus on personal, interview, or food content, met with Sarit Sussman, mother of fallen soldier Ben Sussman, and Hadar Elad-Ben Harush, widow of fallen soldier Daniel Yaakov Ben Harush. They emphasized that while promoting respectful discourse is crucial, it does not mean abandoning one's opinions.

Content creator Alex Shultz, known for his street interviews and boasting 400,000 followers, stated he deliberately avoids political content, finding it "dirty" and preferring to focus on positive, community-oriented content. He has even refused paid offers to promote political parties. Similarly, creators Amit Ben David and Alina Rabinovich explained their decision to steer clear of politics on their platforms, prioritizing positive discourse and mutual respect, even when discussing differing opinions. They expressed concerns about negative reactions and potential professional repercussions for expressing political views.

Avia Hochman, who engages with social issues rather than direct political commentary, also participated. She noted that while her followers often guess her political leanings, they vote differently, indicating her content fosters healthy dialogue. Hochman, who volunteers with "HaDibbur," shared that she has declined meetings with politicians to maintain her neutral stance.

TikTok Israel is also implementing technological measures for the elections, including a dedicated task force and a ban on all paid political advertising. Lior Vintrov, Deputy Director of Public Policy at TikTok Israel, stated that all political content on the platform is organic. The company provides users with a special banner linking to information from the Central Elections Committee and the Ministry of Interior, along with resources on identifying fake news. TikTok reported removing over 45,000 videos and 1,400 accounts for violating election integrity policies between June and September, and thwarted two organized influence operations from Iran and a local network.