Full Fact welcomes consultation to update our outdated election laws

Today the government has launched a public consultation on transparency in digital campaigning. Specifically, they have put forward a proposal to require digital election material to explicitly show who is promoting it and on whose behalf - also known as a ‘digital imprint’. 

Full Fact has been campaigning for the introduction of digital imprints for a long time, giving evidence to parliamentary committees and previous government consultations, and writing to MPs about the issue. Hundreds of you shared our calls via email and social media. 

We believe that voters should know who is targeting them online and who is paying for it. This sort of transparency is crucial for elections in a democracy. 

We said before the last election that these changes were urgent, and that is still true now. Our votes were left unprotected in 2019, but local elections are planned for next spring. The government must act quickly following the consultation to ensure our democracy is properly protected. 

Full Fact welcomes the consultation and we will be carefully considering the government's proposals before responding in full. 

None of our work to tackle bad information and protect votes, including throughout the last election, would be possible without our readers and supporters. What do you want to see changed before we next head to the polls?  Get in touch.