Truth Fighters: How They Are Battling the Spread of Lies and Fake News Online

"I decided to stop being silent," says Hadas Klein, who, together with Eyal Naveh, a member of the Brothers in Arms movement, established the Defamation Situation Room (Hamal HaDiba) a few months ago to fight the violent, false, and inciting discourse on the web, which is intensifying as the election date approaches.

"I am just reading something someone wrote about me on Twitter," she says at the beginning of our conversation and reads the words to me: "Hadas Klein, my dear, the thief and adulteress. I pity your betrayed husband for the corrupt and vile liar that your greed for money, power, and debts have turned you into a state witness. What a gorilla shape you have." (Errors in the original).

This tweet is just one example of the attack, poison, and threats that Hadas Klein, the key witness in the Netanyahu trial in Case 1000, has been absorbing in recent years. Although she finished testifying four years ago, she is still considered threatened and receives security coverage from the Israel Police's Threatened Persons Department. "I fulfilled my civic duty. My only sin was that I dared to testify in the Netanyahu trial. Why, even though four years have passed, do I still need security?" she says.

Several months ago, Eyal Naveh approached her and suggested she become a partner in establishing the Defamation Situation Room and actually lead it, both because of the attacks she experienced in recent years from the "poison machine" and because of the experience she gained with numerous lawsuits she filed herself in recent years. "I felt that the threats and violence were escalating; they were no longer staying just on the networks, but were going out into the streets."

"When Eyal approached me, I decided to take up the challenge. I am not going into politics and I do not want to be part of it. I think it is important to fight and show that there is no such thing as a lie that is the truth," she explains.

Last month, Klein filed a complaint with the police against Mordechai David, claiming that he pursued her as she left a play at Habima, blocked her, and acted violently towards her. A restraining order was issued against David, who denied the allegations.

The Defamation Situation Room is staffed by over three hundred volunteers who act as monitors, scanning social networks day and night to locate false and inciting publications. So far, dozens of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of citizens, including journalist Lucy Aharish, Ronen Bergman, and former Tel Aviv District Commander Ami Eshed. Naveh also won compensation of 100,000 NIS in a case where he was compared to Hitler.

"Behind every person who is attacked by the poison machine, there are truth fighters who scan the social networks," says Naveh. He explains that the "poison machine" operates by distributing messaging pages to hundreds of users, which then spread to thousands, breaking the dam of civil discourse.

The weekly report goes to a team of 12 volunteer lawyers who classify the defamations for potential legal action. Operations are funded by donations. "We identify success in lowering the violent discourse. There is a decrease of tens of percent in the use of the words 'traitor' and 'Nazi', but still, it is very difficult to overcome the poison machine," says lawyer Amit Mor, who provides legal support to the organization.

As part of settlements, the center demands the deletion of defamatory content, financial compensation, and filmed apologies. Technological systems and HUMINT capabilities allow them to identify even fake users. However, dealing with bots remains a challenge that Naveh believes requires legislative action in the next Knesset.

"I have made it my flag to achieve poetic justice for myself and my family. No one in my family likes to hear that I am an adulteress and a traitor. I understood that whoever does not sue, leaves the ambiguity and the thought that maybe there is something to it," concludes Klein.