In a stunning moment caught on video, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded direct control over the algorithms of TikTok and X, two of the most powerful social media platforms in the United States.
“The most important purchase that is going on right now is… TikTok. Number one. And I hope it goes through because it can be consequential. And the other one, what’s the other one that’s most important? X,” said Netanyahu.
“And you know, so we have to talk to Elon,” he continued. “He’s not an enemy. He’s a friend. You should talk to him. Now if we can get those two things, we can get a lot. We have to fight the fight.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, met today with American social media influencers and told them that TikTok is the “most important” “weapon” in the fight to secure Israel’s base on the right.
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) September 27, 2025
“Weapons change over time…… https://t.co/B3jlCkHejy pic.twitter.com/2WDugy2XY5
The comments appear to confirm long-running speculation that Israel is seeking a direct role in shaping how global social platforms distribute information — particularly as criticism of Israel surges online, especially among young Americans.
For Tel Aviv, the stakes are existential: Israel’s decades-long dominance of Western public opinion is now eroding among younger demographics. Polls show U.S. millennials and Gen Z are far less sympathetic to Israel than their parents’ generation. Platforms like TikTok have become central to this generational shift.
Israeli government documents show that in June 2025, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office through its ad agency Lapam entered into a $45 million contract with Google to run a global propaganda campaign targeting Americans, which among other things disputes reports of famine in Gaza.
There is also evidence that Israel has paid for social media influence / influencer campaigns. For example, the Diaspora Affairs Ministry earmarked about $2 million for a campaign that used fake or impersonating accounts to promote pro-Israel messages in the United States and Canada.
These accounts often posed as local citizens, students, etc., and posted messages aimed at U.S. lawmakers or commenting on U.S. social media.
Meanwhile, the assassination of Charlie Kirk has turned his political movement Turning Point USA into a pro-Zionist organisation, reversing course on Kirk’s recent anti-Netanyahu messaging.
But Netanyahu’s latest statement suggests the government now sees algorithmic control as the ultimate battleground in which Israel will be engaged.
