The Workers’ Party has called on the government to ensure regulations are in place governing the use of digital data by Cambridge Analytica-style companies, ahead of May’s referendum on the 8th amendment.
Workers’ Party councillor Éilis Ryan said: "Given the accusations now being levelled at Cambridge Analytica about how they bought and used personal data to influence votes in Britain, it is essential that regulations are introduced well in advance of the May referendum, which stop a similar scenario from happening here.
The Workers’ Party councillor called for the immediate establishment of an expert group to develop guidelines which the Referendum Commission can use, on the use of digital data.
“An expert group should be immediately tasked with developing guidelines that set out if and when a campaign group may employ the services of companies who effectively buy personal data, how a campaign group must report what ads it uses to target the public, and how much money - if any - a campaign group may pay."
The party supports a Yes vote in the upcoming proposed referendum.