A new IDF directive aiming to regulate for the first time the way soldiers are allowed to use social media is in the final stages of approval, Israel Hayom has learned.
The directive will also restrict how soldiers use multiple-member formats, such as the WhatsApp messaging application.
The new directive forbids soldiers and officers on active duty from expressing public support for political figures or parties online. While military personnel are allowed to "like" official pages of parties or politicians, they will not be permitted to "like" specific posts from politicians, or respond to or share politicians' posts on their own pages.
In addition, the military is now banning soldiers from making statements of a political nature, or statements deemed damaging to the IDF, either online or in groups on platforms like WhatsApp.
Under the new directive, IDF soldiers active on social media will be ordered to moderate their online activity to meet regulations on permissible conduct for soldiers "in the public sphere."
Soldiers are banned from any online activity that hurts human dignity and affects public perception of the IDF. It will be made clear to military personnel that such conduct – as well as other online violations of rules, such as sharing classified information – could lead to disciplinary or even criminal measures against them.
A senior IDF official told Israel Hayom that "one of the important principles in the military is to distance it from politics, to keep it national rather than political."
"In recent years, the public discourse has migrated to the internet, and it has become necessary to explain the rules. We've tried to adapt to the time. The internet is also [part of] the public sphere," the official explained.
According to the official, the new social media regulations were put together by the IDF Personnel Directorate after talking with soldiers and commanders and strikes a balance between freedom of expression and the protection of information security while keeping politics out of the IDF.
"A request came in from the commanders to understand what is and is not allowed [online]. The directive does not change the existing balance. It doesn't police thinking. There is a difference between a WhatsApp group that is considered private – of friends and family, for example – and public groups. The nature of the group is determined by the number of members and the type of contact between them," the official said.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement: "For years, military directives have set guidelines on IDF soldiers' public remarks, including a prohibition on political statements. In recent years, the need has arisen to establish rules about personnel's conduct on the internet, on social media, and on other platforms."
"The IDF has a task force that is working to formulate an updated directive on the matter," the statement continued. "The task force's job is to protect the national character of the IDF and uphold information security while striking the necessary balance with freedom of expression. When the work is done, the new rules will be published and implemented among IDF soldiers and officers."
