The Minister of Justice announced last night the establishment of a committee to combat the phenomenon of bloodshed on social media. The committee will examine the boundaries between freedom of expression and freedom of opinion on social media - and propose courses of action.
The decision to establish a committee to examine the phenomenon of verbal violence and public insults on social media comes against the backdrop of recent cases, most notably the suicide of Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Bracha, the phenomenon of harm and negative campaigns against ultra-Orthodox recruits, as well as offensive campaigns against judges.
The committee will be headed by retired judge Edna Arbel - and the other members of the committee will work closely with her: Professor Asa Kasher, former MK Professor Aryeh Eldad, editor of the Makor Rishon newspaper Hagai Segal, Dr. Anat Peleg, Dr. Nimrod Kozlovsky, and former head of the AHM Yoav Segalovich.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
The minister decided that solutions must be found within and outside the law to the widespread phenomenon of slander and bloodshed on social media.
The committee will formulate its recommendations within a few months and submit legislative initiatives and additional alternative ways to address the problem to the Minister of Justice.
However, even before the committee convened, a conflict had already erupted between two of its members: the former head of the Intelligence Investigations Division, retired Major General Yoav Segalovich, informed the Minister of Justice that he would not be able to be a member of the committee.
The reason: One of the committee members is journalist and editor of the newspaper Makor Rishon, Hagai Segal. "It is inappropriate for a public committee to have a person who was convicted of membership in an underground organization that was responsible for acts of violence," Segalovich was quoted as saying on Channel 10.
Hagai Segal preferred not to respond to Segalovich's words.
Upon presenting the committee, the minister said: "The entire Israeli society is facing a burning issue that requires careful attention and rapid treatment - many people, including public servants, are undergoing extensive public scrutiny on the Internet. The rumors and offensive statements are passed from mouth to mouth in such a viral manner that a single case told on the Internet pages could reach hundreds and thousands of surfers.".
""In fact, a new legal arena has emerged on the Internet, through which law is enforced, but there is no authorized judge and no one to examine and examine the facts." .
""I have decided that the fight against violence on social media will be my top priority. The committee is made up of a variety of personalities from the world of media, academia, law, and the public world.
""Diversity and interweaving will bring us, I believe, appropriate solutions to this acute problem. We need to put an end to violence, slanderous accusations, and social media gossip, because words kill.".
"I thank Judge Arbel and the members of the committee who agreed to donate their time to this important initiative.".
