Both Meta and OpenAI have taken action against Stoic, with Meta removing hundreds of accounts linked to the firm for "coordinated inauthentic behavior" and OpenAI reporting that Stoic used its AI tools to generate and edit anti-Hamas and pro-Israel content. The operation reportedly commented on Facebook pages of media organizations and political figures, often facing criticism from authentic users.
Key takeaways:
- The Israeli government reportedly used a political marketing firm, Stoic, to run an influence campaign targeting U.S. lawmakers and the general public to gain support for its conduct in the Gaza war. The campaign involved the use of fake social media accounts posing as real Americans.
- The campaign specifically targeted Black Democratic lawmakers, urging them to continue funding Israel's war effort. The campaign remains active and relies on content generated using OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT.
- Both Meta and OpenAI have cracked down on Stoic's covert influence operations. Meta removed several accounts linked to Stoic for "coordinated inauthentic behavior," and OpenAI reported that Stoic used its AI tools to generate and edit anti-Hamas, anti-Qatar, and pro-Israel content.
- A former Meta engineer has sued the company, alleging that he was fired for trying to fix bugs that suppressed Palestinian posts on Instagram. He also accuses Meta of workplace bias against Palestinians.