Central Election Committee Rules AI Political Football Video Needs No Label
Central Election Committee Chairman Noam Solberg ruled that an AI-generated satirical football video featuring Israeli politicians does not require mandatory digital labeling, dismissing a petition.
Central Election Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg ruled on Sunday that the Joint List was not required to label a video generated using artificial intelligence. The decision came in response to a petition filed by the human rights organization B'Tsalmo against the Joint List.
The controversial video depicts a professional football match in which MK Ahmad Tibi plays against ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, with each of the ministers appearing as two different players, all three dressed in suits.
In his ruling, Justice Solberg described the video, noting that the clip shows MK Tibi dribbling past ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich to score a goal, after which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears wearing a Beitar Jerusalem shirt, surrounded by fans, expressing frustration over the goal.
The petition claimed the video was created using AI without mandatory labeling, violating the Election Law. However, Justice Solberg rejected the argument, noting that the law only requires labeling for digital content that may realistically be mistaken for genuine original documentation.
Solberg emphasized that since the ministers are shown playing professional football in suits and appearing multiple times simultaneously in the same frame, it is obvious to any viewer that the footage is not authentic, meaning the labeling requirement does not apply. The petition was dismissed, and the petitioner was ordered to pay 5,000 NIS in legal costs.
