Israeli Election Committee Mandates AI Disclosure on Digital Campaign Content

The Central Elections Committee of Israel, led by Judge Noam Solberg, has introduced new regulations requiring explicit labeling of election campaign materials created or significantly altered using digital tools, including artificial intelligence (AI). Effective from July 26, 2026, these rules mandate that any digital content that could be mistaken for authentic footage or documentation must carry a clear disclosure. Failure to comply may be considered a legal violation.

The new guidelines specify that visual content must display a prominent label throughout the relevant footage, while audio content must include an audible announcement at both the beginning and end of the broadcast. For printed or still images, the disclosure must be highly visible with clear contrast and legible font. The regulation is a temporary measure, valid until one year after the 26th Knesset elections.

This decision follows recent controversies involving AI-generated or digitally manipulated election materials. Earlier in 2026, the Bennet 2026 party filed a police complaint and petitioned the Elections Committee against the Likud party for publishing edited images showing Bennett and Lapid alongside Arab party leaders, allegedly to mislead voters. In May, Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released AI-generated videos portraying Bennett and Lapid as controlled by Arab party leaders, prompting Bennett to respond with authentic footage under the slogan "Netanyahu, this is yours, not AI."

The committee emphasized that the new rules aim to maintain public trust in the electoral process amid the challenges posed by AI, preventing improper influence on voters and protecting election integrity. According to Deputy Director General Attorney Din Livne, the regulations provide clarity for both publishers and voters in the digital age.

The full regulations are available through the Central Elections Committee's official channels, and the committee pledged ongoing efforts to safeguard election fairness.