Two Former Students Ordered to Pay 80,000 Shekels for False Online Smear Campaign

A magistrate’s court in Beit Shemesh has ordered two former students to pay a classmate 80,000 shekels after they spread false and harmful posts about her online. The judge rejected their claim that it was only a prank, saying, “This is defamation that caused irreversible harm.”

The case began in December 2023, when students and teachers at the school found mysterious notices with QR codes around the campus. Scanning them led to an anonymous Instagram page that published harsh and false allegations about the plaintiff, including defamatory claims about sensitive and private matters, along with her photo and identifying details.

The posts caused a major disturbance among students and teachers and disrupted school life. The plaintiff, who suffered embarrassment and distress, filed a police complaint. Investigators later determined that the anonymous page was operated by two girls from the same class, who were also suspended from school because of the incident.

In court, the defendants argued the material was merely a childish joke and not malicious. The judge dismissed that explanation, ruling that it was clear defamation that seriously damaged the girl’s reputation and caused heavy social and personal harm. One defendant was ordered to pay 50,000 shekels and the other 30,000 shekels. The court said, “Freedom of expression is not immunity for defamation,” and added that the case shows the need for responsible use of social media, especially by teenagers.