Meta Has 100 Ex-Israeli Defense Force Soldiers As Employees Suggesting Bias

According to Don’t Panic, Meta’s hiring of over 100 former Israeli spies and soldiers, many with ties to Unit 8200, has sparked major questions about the company’s commitment to free speech. These revelations highlight Meta’s involvement in the suppression of pro-Palestinian voices during Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza.

Meta hired over 100 Israeli soldiers and spies. Among them is Shira Anderson, Meta’s AI policy chief, an American born lawyer who volunteered for the Israeli army under the infamous Garin Tzabar program. The program allows non-Israelis to join the Israeli military. Anderson served as a non-commissioned officer in the Israeli army and wrote propaganda reports, linking her closely to military efforts in Gaza. Her role at Meta now involves shaping AI policy and public relations messages for the tech giant.

Anderson’s case is far from unique. A growing number of former Israeli intelligence officers now occupy key positions at Meta. Many, including former members of the Israeli intelligence unit 8200, work in artificial intelligence roles. These individuals, like Anderson, are tasked with guiding the future of AI at Meta, raising concerns about the misuse of this technology to suppress Palestinian voices and create military kill lists.

Given Israel’s extensive use of AI for military surveillance and its ongoing genocide in Gaza, Meta’s hiring of former Israeli military personnel has drawn serious scrutiny. Questions linger about whether these specialists in surveillance and AI have aided in the creation of military tools for targeting civilians. There are troubling reports that Unit 8200 infiltrated private WhatsApp groups, marking individuals for assassination based on flimsy associations with Hamas, regardless of the group’s content.

The connections between Meta and Israel’s military extend beyond employee backgrounds. The company faces mounting questions about its involvement in data-sharing agreements with the Israeli military, including how WhatsApp user data may have been accessed by Israel’s intelligence apparatus. This raises the specter of war crimes, especially considering Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.

As AI continues to shape the digital landscape, Meta’s growing links to Israeli military officials signal a chilling future. With people like Shira Anderson guiding AI policies at the company, there are real concerns about the ethical implications