'A threat to democracy': Israeli media outlets unite to bash tech giants

A coalition of Israeli media outlets has called on regulators and the Communications Ministry, expressing concerns about the dominance of foreign tech giants in Israel’s media landscape, which they say threatens free speech and the survival of local content.

After a US court ruled that Google operates as a monopoly in online search, the issue has gained traction in Israel. On Tuesday, online media outlets and commercial TV channels warned regulators of the "takeover of the Israeli market by foreign tech giants, posing a threat to free speech, democracy, and the survival of Israel’s media industry."

The letter, signed by outlets including Maariv, Globes, Israel Hayom, The Jerusalem Post, Walla, and Mako, along with radio stations Radio North, 103FM, 99FM, 100FM Radius, and commercial broadcasters Keshet and Reshet, highlights the exploitation of local content by foreign tech companies without regulation or investment obligations.

"For the past decade, Israeli content has been appropriated by foreign data and tech giants," the media outlets wrote. "These corporations strengthen their dominance at the expense of local creators, operating without responsibility for content or investment in the local industry."

A unique market

The letter emphasized that Israeli content is a unique product serving small markets with distinct cultural and linguistic characteristics. Unlike foreign tech companies, Israeli media is subject to local regulations, privacy laws, and journalistic ethics. The media outlets argued that preserving Israel’s media infrastructure is crucial to continue producing critical, reliable information, especially during times of crisis, such as the Israel-Hamas War.

"Imagine if Israelis had relied solely on false information circulating on social media during the war," the letter stated, "and the potential impact that would have had on the public."

The media outlets also criticized foreign platforms for hosting harmful content targeting Israel while allegedly removing pro-Israel content through opaque algorithms. They concluded by calling on regulators to adopt global regulatory frameworks to limit the influence of foreign tech giants and protect local content.