TWO-third of Scots are either “very” or “fairly” aware of how political parties target or tailor adverts based on the analysis of their personal data, a new survey has shown.
The research from the Open Rights Group (ORG) showed that 64% of Scots were aware of the practice, but only half said they were aware of “dark money” adverts, where the source of payment for them was not known.
This compared to national findings of 63% and 48%.
ORG commissioned YouGov to conduct two polls a week after the General Election to gauge public attitudes towards data-driven campaigning practices. One was nationally representative while the other sampled some of the country’s most marginal constituencies – and some of the constituents most likely to experience these activities.
Overall, the ORG said its polls highlighted a worrying lack of national awareness around “nefarious” online campaigning activities – with a third of Scots (33%) and 27% nationally unaware of them.
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The national sample showed 42% of people were aware of undeclared spending donations, or dark money, and 44% of “dark ads”, online adverts only seen by the recipient. Just over half (54%) of those in the national sample were aware of the targeting or tailoring of adverts, known as political microtargeting.
However, a majority of the national sample said they were against these practices happening during an election, with the strongest opposition to dark money (69%).
Microtargeting was opposed by 63% of Scots in the sample and dark money advertising by 81%.
There was broad support in the study for a range of responses, but tougher punishment was the most popular remedy, supported by 80% of Scots and 78% across Britain.
On a positive note, the ORG said the polls suggested that the more people are aware of the data-driven campaigning practices which dictate our politics, the stronger the support for interventions.
Pascal Crowe, the data and democracy project officer at Open Rights Group said: “Political microtargeting, AstroTurf ads and unaccountable money are upending our electoral system.
“Despite this, citizens remain in the dark.
“The onus is now on politicians to take the initiative and push electoral reform up the legislative agenda. The time to act is now.”
