Political parties and campaigners will have to clearly declare they are behind online adverts under new government plans.
Politicians and registered campaign groups will have to include a “digital imprint” when promoting their content online under the plans, drawn up with the Electoral Commission – even if it’s not paid advertising.
That means even social media posts from parties must declare who is behind them, in the same way as political leaflets and posters.
Minister for the Constitution Chloe Smith said: “People want to engage with politics online.
That’s where campaigners connect with voters and is why ahead of elections, almost half of political advertising budgets are now spent on digital content and activity.
“But people want to know who is talking. Voters value transparency, so we must ensure that there are clear rules to help them see who is behind campaign content online.”
The move comes after the Government promised to bring forward measures to ensure greater transparency in online campaigning in the Queen’s Speech last December.
It follows growing concern since the 2016 Brexit referendum about the use of online campaign material where the group or organisation behind it is not clearly identified.
The new rules will operate at all times, not just during election campaigns.
And unregistered campaigners will only have to include an imprint on paid-for advertising.
Digital imprints were a specific recommendation by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its review into intimidation.
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “After a long wait, this looks like much-needed progress when it comes to closing the dozens of loopholes in our campaign rules. Campaigners and regulators have been calling for this change since 2003, so we hope ministers are getting to grips with this issue.
“For too long, our democracy has been wide open to anonymous ‘dark ads’, dodgy donors, and foreign interference online. This won’t solve all that, but it will help to plug one of the many leaks in HMS Democracy.
“This move will need to be well-enforced, and with strong sanctions for unscrupulous campaigners. Currently the fines the Electoral Commission can levy are seen as the ‘cost of doing business’. Ministers must not be able to pass the buck to Silicon Valley giants either: we need clear reporting standards so voters, the media and researchers can see who is trying to steer our debate in real time.
“There should be genuine transparency over who is really paying for political ads. Currently it is far too easy to set up well-financed political pages while hiding the funders from view.
“The government must be clear that this is just the start of cleaning up politics online. Let’s finally close the loopholes, protect our democratic debate, and rein in the wild west of online campaigning.”
