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Israel Defense Forces Move into Social Media

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 This from Haaretz...

The Israel Defense Forces Spokesman's Office is to begin drafting computer experts with an eye toward establishing an Internet and new media department unit, Army Spokesman Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu said Monday. 

Speaking at the Eilat Journalists Conference, Benayahu said the new department would focus on the Internet's social media networks mainly to reach an international audience directly rather than through the regular media.

Facebook and twitter are two targets but I'm not expecting to see entries along the lines of, IDF has found an orphaned polar bear. Can you help IDF by adopting it? 

2 Comments

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dan mcquillan | December 2, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply

hi rob

did you see this example from the last attack on gaza?

Spokesman's Unit hails 'fair' coverage
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230733139077&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

also 'YouTube, Twitter: Weapons in Israel’s Info War'
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2008/12/israels-info-wa/

sinister stuff, imho

dan

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Daniel Bennett | December 4, 2009 1:36 PM | Reply

Rob,
Thanks for flagging this up. I was none-too-convinced about the IDF's efforts in the first instance:

http://frontlineclub.com/blogs/danielbennett/2009/02/the-problems-with-the-israeli-defence-forces-social-media-campaign.html

I reckon a new dedicated unit might be the way forward/is long overdue. Assume you already know about the existing IDFSpokesperson Twitter feed.
Dan

What do you think?