In recent months, the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) has taken part in a series of academic and professional forums across Israel, bringing researchers, activists, journalists, and public institutions together to share research insights, build practical digital skills, improve information and media literacy, and respond more effectively to information integrity threats.
As disinformation, AI-generated content, and online manipulation continue to interfere in the public discourse, stronger digital investigation skills and more efficient cooperation between academia and civil society have become essential. ISOC-IL has responded through a range of research, training, and educational initiatives aimed at strengthening information integrity in Israeli society and public resilience to disinformation. One of its latest initiatives is “Strengthening Digital Capacities and Information Integrity among Israeli Journalism Students, Scholars and Practitioners.”
The project promotes media resilience and information integrity through training, pedagogical innovation, and structured dialogue between academic institutions and media professionals. It is supported through a subgrant awarded by Canal France International (CFI) under the European Union-funded programme “Empowering Palestinian and Israeli Civil Societies and Media,” implemented by CFI and Expertise France.
The following forums and conferences formed part of this work:
Israel Communication Association Conference
On July 5, ISOC-IL participated in the 28th annual conference of the Israel Communication Association (IsCA), hosted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The conference brought together researchers, lecturers, and students for a full day of academic exchange.
ISOC-IL’s Disinformation and Digital Investigations Lead Nitsan Yasur presented findings from the research publication Ballistic Fakes: Disinformation and Fact-Checking Efforts during the Israel–Iran War published under ISOC-IL’s Disinformation Resilience Israel project. It highlighted ISOC‑IL’s work on digital resilience and fact‑checking during periods of conflict, focusing on how the public resists false information in an information‑overloaded online environment.
Bar-Ilan University PhD Student Conference
The PhD Student Conference on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Bar-Ilan University on June 24 was attended by 40 participants including doctoral students and their supervisors from the Department of Information Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence of the Faculty of Humanities. ISOC-IL’s VP of Community Affairs, Edan Ring, and Disinformation and Digital Investigations Lead, Nitsan Yasur were invited by Dr. Gal Yavetz to deliver a lecture titled “Disinformation and Information Literacy: Navigating the Web in Times of War and Elections.”
The session focused on the effects of disinformation and misinformation in the Israeli information environment, with particular attention to periods of regional war and elections. It outlined key challenges anticipated in the 2026 elections. 
From L-R: Professor Maayan Zhitomirsky-Geffet (Tamir), Head of the Department of Information Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence (Bar-Ilan University); Dr. Gal Yavetz, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Information Science and Applied Artificial Intelligence (Bar-Ilan University); Nitsan Yasur, Disinformation and Digital Investigations Lead (ISOC-IL); and Edan Ring, VP of Community Affairs (ISOC-IL)
Deepfake Hackathon at the University of Haifa
ISOC-IL’s Disinformation and Digital Investigations Lead Nitsan Yasur was a mentor at the Deepfake Hackathon at the University of Haifa, held in collaboration with the National Cyber Directorate, on June 10 – 11. They shared insights from ISOC-IL’s work, including real-world examples of AI-related vulnerabilities and scams reported to ISOC-IL’s Internet Safety Hotline, which proved valuable to several teams.
The two-day event brought together 90 students from the Computer Science and Data Science programs, alongside mentors and judges from academia and industry. The students worked in teams on three challenge areas: identifying deepfakes in real-time video calls; analyzing offline video for manipulation; and detecting fake images created or altered using advanced generative models.
Professor Rita Osadchy, Dean of the Faculty of Computer and Information Science at the University of Haifa, expressed her appreciation to the mentors for their valuable contributions in helping students refine their ideas and critically assess feasibility, product development, technology, implementation, and impact.
Climate Scientists Forum
On July 12, ISOC-IL was invited to contribute to an online forum focused on addressing climate denial on social media. The forum was attended by approximately 40 participants, primarily doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, and formed part of a broader training programme aimed at strengthening environmental and climate researchers’ public engagement.
The session was delivered by ISOC-IL’s Head of Online Literacy and Safety, Dr. Shakked Dabran Zivan, who outlined key characteristics of the Israeli information ecosystem and the challenges posed by disinformation. During the forum, Dr. Avner Gross, Head of the Climate Change Research Laboratory at Ben Gurion University, introduced a national climate information platform designed to provide reliable and accessible content on climate change. Initial discussions pointed to strong potential for future collaboration and support.
Through these academic and professional forums, ISOC-IL actively promotes local knowledge-sharing and strengthens collaboration between academia, civil society, and public institutions. The engagements supported practical learning, interdisciplinary exchange, and a broader understanding of the role of digital resilience in confronting disinformation.
ISOC-IL’s participation in these local knowledge-sharing forums was supported by the financial assistance of the European Union, facilitated by CFI and Expertise France. The contents of the presentations are the sole responsibility of ISOC-IL and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of CFI, Expertise France and the European Union.
