Fake Profiles Boost Candidate in Likud Primaries Through Coordinated Social Media Campaign

A research initiative called Fake Reporter, which combats misinformation and incitement on Israeli social media, uncovered a network of fake profiles promoting a candidate named Hali Holtzman in the Likud party primaries. The activity took place in several Jerusalem-based Facebook groups, including "Jerusalemites," Nahlaot, and Rehavia, where numerous posts and comments urged support for Holtzman, portraying her as widely popular among local residents.

The investigation revealed that this apparent wave of support was orchestrated by coordinated fake accounts, many created recently and using AI-generated profile pictures. These accounts showed minimal personal activity or genuine friendships but frequently interacted with each other to amplify positive messages about the candidate. Fake Reporter also found that this network had previously promoted commercial content and public campaigns using the same deceptive tactics, creating an illusion of authentic grassroots endorsement.

Experts behind Fake Reporter warned that such manipulative campaigns are particularly dangerous during election periods, as they can mislead the public into believing in false popular support. The group emphasized that political propaganda on social media must be clearly labeled to protect citizens from manipulation. Additionally, Fake Reporter claims to have identified the PR firm responsible for managing the bot network and plans to disclose its details soon.

This exposure highlights that influence operations in Israel can originate domestically, not only from foreign actors, raising concerns about election integrity and the authenticity of online political discourse.