Researchers say no way of knowing how much is being spent on online ads ahead of referendum
Nearly 900 paid-for advertisements relating to the referendum on the Eighth Amendment, including some paid for by overseas groups, have been captured by transparency researchers in the run-up to the vote on May 25th.
Ads from both sides of the campaign are still appearing online, despite Facebooks announcement earlier this month of a ban on foreign-funded ads relating to the abortion referendum.
Google followed within days with a total ban on ads related to the referendum.
The Transparent Referendum Initiative (TRI), a voluntary initiative established to enable open, truthful, respectful debate during the campaign, found 230 new ads served on Facebook last week and said the number of ads was increasing.
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The researchers said some groups were untraceable and that the location, identity or intent of the person paying was not known. There were also overseas organisations paying for ads targeting Irish voters.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/900-paid-for-ads-relating-to-eighth-amendment-captured-1.3500743