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

TikTok has introduced new rules for politicians, parties, public figures, and content creators as Israel prepares for the 26th Knesset elections on October 27, 2026.

The platform will prohibit paid political advertising and limit the spread of false election information. A key component of the policy requires realistic content created or altered by artificial intelligence to be clearly labeled. While the guidelines do not ban AI technology outright, users must label AI-generated material that appears realistic.

Content designed to mislead voters, impersonate candidates, or disrupt the democratic process will be removed, regardless of whether it is identified as AI-generated. This includes false information about election dates, polling locations, voting procedures, or eligibility. The ban also covers content that encourages unlawful interference with vote counting or the Central Elections Committee's work.

A significant challenge anticipated for the upcoming campaign is the increasing use of realistic fake videos. Advanced AI tools can now create convincing footage of candidates saying things they never said or fabricating legitimate-looking news reports. TikTok employs technical standards and digital watermarks to identify AI-generated content, though detecting all fabricated material remains difficult due to the rapid evolution of these tools.

Under the new rules, AI cannot be used to impersonate candidates, political parties, the Central Elections Committee, or media organizations. This includes fabricated videos showing a politician endorsing another candidate or reversing their stated positions.