Gold Rules
14th August 2013, 02:32 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-23695896
Students in Israel are to form government-funded "covert units" to defend the country on Facebook and Twitter, it's reported.
The Prime Minister's office is reportedly spending around £540,000 recruiting more than 500 students to respond to social media posts calling for boycotts and sanctions against the country, the Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Government-to-use-citizens-as-army-in-social-media-war-322972) says. Those with foreign language skills who receive these "scholarships" would not identify themselves as being in the pay of the government. Instead, Israel's Ha'aretz (http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.541142) newspaper says, the plan is to make the programme appear to be based on the activity of politically-neutral students, with the Prime Minister's Office also hoping to recruit from pro-Israel student groups from around the world.
Israel certainly won't be the first country to pay internet users to defend its interests online. China' so-called 50 Cent Party (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7783640.stm) comprises people who are paid by the Beijing government to help sway public opinion by posting pro-China messages on internet forums. They're named after the sum they're reportedly paid: 50 cents per post, the equivalent of 5p.
Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NewsfromElsewhere&src=typd)
Students in Israel are to form government-funded "covert units" to defend the country on Facebook and Twitter, it's reported.
The Prime Minister's office is reportedly spending around £540,000 recruiting more than 500 students to respond to social media posts calling for boycotts and sanctions against the country, the Jerusalem Post (http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Government-to-use-citizens-as-army-in-social-media-war-322972) says. Those with foreign language skills who receive these "scholarships" would not identify themselves as being in the pay of the government. Instead, Israel's Ha'aretz (http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.541142) newspaper says, the plan is to make the programme appear to be based on the activity of politically-neutral students, with the Prime Minister's Office also hoping to recruit from pro-Israel student groups from around the world.
Israel certainly won't be the first country to pay internet users to defend its interests online. China' so-called 50 Cent Party (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7783640.stm) comprises people who are paid by the Beijing government to help sway public opinion by posting pro-China messages on internet forums. They're named after the sum they're reportedly paid: 50 cents per post, the equivalent of 5p.
Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NewsfromElsewhere&src=typd)