Facebook suspends Benjamin Netanyahu’s chatbot over Covid vaccines appeal

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, addresses a press conference in Jerusalem

Credit: EPA/EPA

Israel’s prime minister has been rebuked by Facebook for using his official account to request the personal details of unvaccinated Israelis so he can personally lobby them to receive a Covid jab. 

Facebook said in a statement it had suspended a chatbot run by Benjamin Netanyahu’s account for violating privacy rules, after it asked web users to identify over-60s who had not yet received a Covid vaccine.

The chatbot was sending private messages to followers requesting details of at-risk Israelis, and said that the prime minister would then lobby them to receive a jab.

The online appeal reflects the great lengths to which Israel’s premier is willing to go as he attempts to vaccinate all citizens under the age of 16 by March. 

In a recent interview with the Telegraph, Yuli Edelstein, the Israeli health minister, revealed that Mr Netanyahu has also been bombarding vaccine providers with personal phone calls to ensure the country gets as many doses as possible. 

Israeli political analysts say that the vaccination drive, the fastest in the world, is regarded by Mr Netanyahu as his best hope of being re-elected in March elections. 

“In accordance with our privacy policy, we don’t allow content that shares or asks for people’s medical information,” a spokesman for Facebook said.

Facebook also deleted a post from Mr Netanyahu’s account which issued the same request.

A spokesman for Likud, Israel’s ruling party, said the chatbot was trying to "encourage Israelis over the age of 60 to get vaccinated in order to save their lives after prime minister Netanyahu brought vaccines to every Israeli citizen.”

They added: “We call on everyone to get vaccinated so that we can open up the economy and be the first in the world to emerge from the coronavirus."