TikTok Takes on Fake News Ahead of Israel’s Election
The platform is deploying cybersecurity teams, AI detection tools and fact-checking partnerships to combat misinformation, fake accounts and coordinated influence campaigns
Elections in Israel, archive. Photo: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters
As Israel heads toward its October 27, 2026 general election, TikTok is expanding its election integrity efforts, focusing on one of the biggest challenges facing digital platforms: the growing use of artificial intelligence to create and spread misleading content.
The company said it has established a dedicated Israel Election Taskforce made up of cybersecurity, misinformation and integrity specialists, working alongside automated moderation systems and external partners, including the Central Elections Committee and fact-checking organizations.
TikTok, which has experience supporting election integrity efforts across more than 250 elections worldwide, will launch an in-app Election Centre in Israel. The hub will provide users with official information on when and how to vote, along with guidance on identifying misinformation. Users will be directed to the center when searching for or viewing election-related content.
A major focus of the effort is AI-generated content. TikTok requires creators to label realistic AI-generated content and uses technologies including C2PA content credentials and invisible watermarking to help identify synthetic media. The company said more than 3 billion videos globally have been labeled through a combination of creator disclosures and detection technologies.
However, labeling alone does not make harmful content acceptable. TikTok said it removes content that spreads false information about voting procedures or election dates, as well as accounts that impersonate politicians, news organizations or other trusted sources.
The platform also works with more than 20 fact-checking organizations accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). In Israel, TikTok partners with Reuters to assess the accuracy of content and support enforcement decisions.
According to TikTok’s Community Guidelines Enforcement Report for the first quarter of 2026, the company removed 551,341 videos in Israel. Of those, 3% violated integrity and authenticity rules, including misinformation and election-related violations. The company said 99.1% of those videos were removed before users reported them.
Beyond individual posts, TikTok said it is also targeting coordinated influence campaigns designed to manipulate public debate. Using cybersecurity teams, technology and external intelligence, the company monitors and removes networks of accounts attempting to deceive users or manipulate engagement. TikTok said it disrupted more than 40 covert influence operations globally during the first half of 2026.
The company also reiterated its restrictions on political activity: political advertising is prohibited on TikTok, including paid partnerships with creators to promote political messages. Government and political accounts face additional restrictions and cannot access advertising or monetization tools. Official election authorities, however, are allowed to share voter information.
TikTok said it will continue publishing updates and enforcement data as the election approaches.