$6 Million for the Narrative. Who and How Will 'Tune' ChatGPT's Responses and Google's Search Results in Favor of Israel
The state has invested millions in a project aimed at changing perceptions on social media.
The state has invested millions in a project aimed at changing perceptions on social media.
The Israeli government has signed a $6 million contract with the American company Clock Tower X LLC to conduct a large-scale media campaign in the United States. According to documents published on the US Department of Justice website, the company is tasked with creating content targeted at Generation Z audiences and ensuring at least 50 million impressions per month on platforms like TikTok, Instagram*, YouTube, and other digital channels.
One of Clock Tower's tasks will be to place materials and create websites that will influence how language models, including ChatGPT, form responses on topics related to Israel. The company will also use the MarketBrew AI platform to optimize search results on Google and Bing and promote "relevant narratives."
Clock Tower intends to integrate its materials into the Salem Media Group media network, which is connected to a conservative Christian audience. This holding company produces programs like The Hugh Hewitt Show, The Larry Elder Show, and The Right View with Lara Trump. In April, Salem announced that Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump had become major shareholders in the company.
The project is led by Brad Parscale, the former manager of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, who previously collaborated with Cambridge Analytica. He currently also holds the position of Chief Strategy Officer at Salem Media Group.
According to FARA data, Clock Tower is obligated to "assist in conducting a national campaign in the US to combat antisemitism." The contract provides for the participation of a representative from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Eran Shaiovich, who oversees "Project 545" aimed at enhancing Israel's strategic communication and public diplomacy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at a meeting with loyal bloggers, stated that social networks have become the country's "most important weapon." He emphasized that "the tools of battle are changing," and today the main battlefield is the internet.
Netanyahu also supported an initiative to purchase TikTok by a group of investors, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, the largest private donor to the Israeli Defense Forces. The Prime Minister noted that "this deal could have important consequences."
Clock Tower is working under the order of the international media holding Havas Media Network, which is acting on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the State Advertising Agency. In September, the publication Sludge reported that Havas had previously hired the agency SKDKnickerbocker on a $600,000 contract to promote pro-Israeli messages through automated social media accounts.
SKDK finished its work two days before the contract with Clock Tower was signed. In a comment to Politico, an SKDK representative stated that "the project was completed," without specifying the reasons for the termination of cooperation.
