AI & Tech

A new IDI analysis of a Central Bureau of Statistics survey finds 28% of businesses in Israel used AI in the past six months as part of their business activity. In terms of employees, the proportion is even higher, with 32% of employees working in businesses in which AI is being used.

The Head of IDI's Democracy in the Digital Age Program was the target of an attempted cyber-attack. The highly specific, human, and professional nature of the attack serves as a reminder that technical defenses only go so far. The tools used are becoming more sophisticated and targeted to the human psyche – so, too, must our defenses.

The Brussels Effect and the Washington Effect represent two paradigms in the realm of AI governance, each with its own strengths and challenges. However, the tension between "accelerationists" and "regulationists" demands alternative proposals. One of them is introduced in this report as the "Mumbai and Tel Aviv Effect."

We have entered an era of "digital antisemitism." It is driven, first and foremost, by the insufficient enforcement of moderation policies on social media platforms

Twenty years into the social media revolution, of which Facebook is the poster child, we need to reassess and renew our fundamental democratic principles.

Foreign Israel critics use advancements in AI, including ChatGPT, to misrepresent their actions through Hebrew translations; addressing this requires international laws to make AI developers accountable.

From network hacking to disinformation, Israel is unprepared for combat in today's fourth dimension of warfare.

The paradigm of reliance on technology for our security seems to have led us to a point in which infinite data points and technological tools are at our disposal failed to produce a response. It is of course essential to continue investing in technological superiority, but this needs to be done with a clearer head.

The ongoing war highlights the transformation of technology giants, once American-based corporations, into international entities. Within the Western aid package to Israel, it is imperative to enforce global accountability upon these companies

While technology cannot eliminate uncertainty or surprise, it can help decision-makers think about the future.

The government is advancing a bill that will enable the police to use facial recognition technology by the police. Use of such technology by the police raises a number of critical issues. 

If the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is failing on cybersecurity, what hope is there for the rest of Israel's digital infrastructure?

NSO-Israel Police affair proves we need to rethink the way we oversee surveillance technologies. The solution: Israel needs a privacy czar

Recent media reports alleging that the police are using controversial surveillance software to spy on Israeli citizens has troubling implications and the current Protection of Privacy Law is not equipped to cope with today’s reality. Israel badly needs new legislation that is up to the challenges of the information age.

Amazon reportedly cut NSO off from its AWS service - the same one that is supposed to support Israel’s new official state cloud. Could Jerusalem be cut off, too?

The allegations against Israeli cyber-security company NSO have made international headlines. How could this affect the ‘Startup Nation?’

Can one regulator rule Israel’s cyber ecosystem?

Israel has authorized its secret services to carry out extensive surveillance of civilians in the battle against the Coronavirus. In most other democracies there is dedicated legislation to deal with information gathering during the epidemic. IDI's experts complied a comparative review.

How is the coronavirus pandemic changing the way governments track their citizens? IDI expert takes a look around the world to see what policies countries are implementing.

We must take advantage of the technological tools at our disposal to battle the coronavirus - without forfeiting our right to privacy

The Israel Democracy Institute has submitted a professional opinion to the chair of the Central Elections Committee, Justice Neal Hendel, asking the Committee to prohibit the use of election-management software until appropriate regulations for its use are in place.

Technological progress has created a situation of severe tension and incompatibility between the right to privacy and the extensive data pooling on which the digital economy is based. This development requires new thinking about the substance of that right.

"Israel and other Western Democracies must carefully consider the negative ramifications of excelling in technology while disregarding moral and ethical questions." Read Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler's latest in Techcrunch

Can the Mueller report shed light on the labyrinth of cyber connections, which are at the basis of the suspected criminal activity? Probably not.

How should media outlets in Israel prepare themselves for “fake news” campaigns and how has the digital sphere become the “Wild West?” Tipping Point hosts Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler to discuss the extent Israeli elections are influenced by digital campaigns

If we want to preserve a healthy democratic process, and especially public trust that it is possible to hold fair elections in this country, democracy must stand up and protect itself

When we struggle during election campaigns to enforce a rule against use of private data and building profiles of users in order to target them with personalized messages, we are essentially fighting for the rights of the community of older voters

Iran has apparently hacked the cellphone of Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Netanyahu's main challenger in the April 9 elections. But despite serving as a tool in Likud's campaign, it has not derailed the democratic process in any significant way. In this conversation Eli Bahar, former legal adviser to Shin Bet and IDI fellow, and Ron Shamir, the former head of the technology division at Shin Bet and a fellow at the Hebrew University's Federman Cybersecurity Center, discuss with Tel Aviv Review's Gilad Halpern the danger posed by potential cyber-attacks on Israeli democracy

It is difficult to identify them - they are hidden, disguised, sophisticated and resonate to us what our immediate surroundings think. During the election campaign they are at their peak - bots, fake accounts, unnamed identifiers - all trying to influence public opinion. We bring to you 5 tips for managing smart online presence

In an op-ed published in Techcrunch, Dr. Shwartz Altshuler analyzes the dangers of exploiting one of Israel's rare assets - an extraordinary volume of computerized healthcare information, and the potential damage it could cause.

Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler sat down with The Israel Project to discuss Israeli Security Agency’s warning against foreign countries’ intervention in Israel’s upcoming elections

We would not be global leaders in cyber and technology without simultaneously protecting fundamental human rights.

Black Friday is a good reminder that that in order to protect our privacy as well as minimize the use of personal data to influence our ability to make free choices, there needs to be a change in consumers’ habits as well as increased digital literacy. 

Does the law allow the use of spyware against any citizen, and who oversees the process? Is there any way of knowing if we are being followed? IDI experts explain