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1 Apr, 2019 13:11

Israeli watchdog finds fake social media accounts in support of PM Netanyahu ahead of elections

An Israeli watchdog has said that it found a network of social media bots disseminating messages in support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of next week’s elections. Noam Rotem and Yuval Adam, two researchers operating the Big Bots Project, said in a report published on Monday that they uncovered hundreds of fake accounts spreading messages in support of Netanyahu’s Likud party and smearing his opponents. Israelis head to the polls in eight days, and Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in office. Rotem said it seems people were hired to open and run multiple Twitter profiles, AP reports. The accounts’ posts involve “a combination of spreading the narrative of the Likud party… and attacking anyone that is criticizing them,” according to Rotem.