TikTok publishes new guidelines for politicians, content creators ahead of Knesset elections

ByDR. ITAY GALJULY 30, 2026 03:14Ahead of the 26th Knesset elections, scheduled for October 27, 2026, TikTok has published new guidelines for politicians, political parties, public figures, and content creators. At the center of the policy are a ban on paid political advertising, restrictions on the spread of misleading election information, and a requirement to label realistic content that has been created or altered using artificial intelligence.Despite headlines suggesting a "ban on the use of artificial intelligence," the policy does not prohibit the technology outright. Users will still be allowed to upload AI-generated content, provided it is labeled when it appears realistic.Fabricated content that could mislead voters, impersonate politicians, or disrupt the democratic process will be removed, even if it is identified as AI-generated.According to the company's guidelines, users will be prohibited from publishing false information about the date of the election, polling station locations, voting procedures, or eligibility to vote. The ban also applies to content encouraging unlawful interference with vote counting, election results, or the work of the Central Elections Committee.An illustration of an Israeli voting at the ballot box. (credit: Niyazz/Shutterstock)TikTok said the rules will apply regardless of the intent of the person who posted the content. This means that even a video uploaded as a joke, an experiment, or an attempt to attract attention may be removed if it could cause viewers to misunderstand how or when they can vote.AI generated videos looming challenge in upcoming election campaignOne of the central challenges expected during the upcoming election campaign is the growing use of realistic fake videos.Modern voice and image generation tools can now make it appear that a candidate said something they never said, depict an event that never occurred, or create what appears to be a legitimate news report from a recognized media outlet.TikTok requires realistic AI-generated content to be labeled and employs several methods to identify it.Among them is a technical standard that preserves information about a file's origin and any modifications made to it. In some cases, the system can identify content created on other platforms and automatically add a label, even if the user did not.The company has also begun embedding invisible digital watermarks into content created using its own AI tools. These markers are designed to remain embedded in the file even after it has been downloaded, edited, or shared on another social media platform.Even so, the ability to detect all fabricated content remains limited, partly because tools for generating artificial videos, images, and voices continue to evolve rapidly.Under the new rules, AI may not be used to impersonate candidates, political parties, the Central Elections Committee, or media organizations. A fabricated video showing a politician endorsing another candidate, reversing their positions, or providing false information about the election may be removed from the platform.TikTok emphasized that it will continue to allow political discussion and organic content published by candidates, parties, and users.Paid political promotion, however, remains prohibited. The ban covers direct political advertisements, payments to content creators in exchange for promoting a candidate or party, and the use of the platform's promotional tools to increase the reach of political videos.Government accounts to be prohibited from TikTok advertisingGovernment, politician, and political party accounts will not be permitted to use TikTok's advertising or monetization tools. The restrictions include earning revenue from content, receiving monetary gifts from users, or paying to boost the distribution of videos. The company noted that this is a long-standing global policy that is now receiving renewed emphasis ahead of Israel's elections.A limited exception will be granted to official bodies responsible for administering or overseeing the election.The Central Elections Committee will be allowed to publish essential public information, such as election dates, polling station locators, and voter guidance. Such advertisements are expected to provide practical information rather than promote a party or candidate.Another area TikTok says it will focus on is covert influence operations. These involve groups of accounts acting in coordination, sometimes under false identities, to artificially amplify certain messages and create the impression that they enjoy broad public support.The company prohibits the use of bots, fake engagement, impersonation, and coordinated account activity intended to influence public discourse without revealing the identity of those behind it.According to TikTok, it removed more than 40 covert influence operations worldwide during the first half of the year. The figure is based on the company's own reporting, and the effectiveness of its enforcement during Israel's election campaign will ultimately be tested as the campaigns progress.TikTok establishes task force to combat election-related contentTo handle election-related content in Israel, TikTok has established a dedicated task force comprising experts in cybersecurity, deceptive behavior, disinformation, and election integrity.The company said the team will rely on automated monitoring systems, human review, and information received from external organizations. According to TikTok, the preparations are based on experience gained from more than 250 elections worldwide.In addition to removing content, TikTok may reduce the distribution of posts that cannot be verified, attach warning labels to them, or prevent them from appearing in users' recommendation feeds. In some cases, users will receive a prompt encouraging them to reconsider before sharing a video.Ahead of the opening of polling stations, the company will launch a dedicated election center within the app. The hub will rely on information from the Central Elections Committee and will include the election date, explanations of voting procedures, practical information for voters, and tips for identifying disinformation. Users searching for election-related information or watching election-related videos will be directed to the hub through notifications and labels displayed within the app.Follow us on Google