A blow to TV reporters: WhatsApp accounts of well-known journalists blocked
The disturbing wave of blocks on the popular application in Israel has reached two well-known journalists, one of whom was forced to move to an alternative platform to continue communicating with his sources and working continuously.
The wave of WhatsApp account blocks, which has been troubling many Israeli users in recent months, reached two of the most well-known names in the media world yesterday. Eli Hirschman, a reporter for News 12, and Yoeli Brim, a reporter for News 13, discovered that they could no longer use their WhatsApp accounts after both were blocked.
In Hirschman's case, the significant malfunction ended after a few hours, when access to his WhatsApp account was restored. For Brim, however, the block continued, and he was forced to temporarily switch to an alternative means of communication to continue receiving inquiries, stories, and documentation.
Brim updated his followers on his Telegram channel about the situation and clarified that he could be contacted via the alternative platform. In a post he published, he wrote:
"I am available on Telegram for any story and documentation, until Meta deigns to assist me."
The blocking of the two reporters takes on special significance due to the nature of their work. WhatsApp is not used by them only for personal correspondence, but also as a central channel for receiving information and managing ongoing contact with sources. When the account is blocked, the ability to receive inquiries through one of the most common means of communication in Israel is immediately impaired.
Both blocks occurred on the same day and affected reporters from the two main news companies, News 12 and News 13.
The case joins the many blocks reported by Israelis during the last few months. In some cases, users find themselves without access to the service they rely on throughout the day and are forced to wait until the account is checked and activity on it is resumed.
