technology
Social Media Ads and Content Shaped Voter Exposure in Welsh Election
Parties spent tens of thousands of pounds on targeted social media advertising during the recent Welsh Senedd election. Fictional voter profiles tracked different content streams on major platforms. Spending and messaging varied across parties and reached users unevenly.
May 16, 3:01 AM·1m read1 source
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Six fictional voter profiles created with help from the National Centre for Social Research showed different content streams depending on the account.
In the final 30 days of the campaign, from 8 April to 7 May, Welsh Labour spent £92,076 on Facebook and Instagram ads. Reform UK spent £77,594, Plaid Cymru spent £53,699, the Green Party spent £46,471, the Conservatives spent £45,647 and the Liberal Democrats spent £7,406.
Plaid Cymru ran ads on policies and candidates that later focused on preventing a Reform government. Labour ran ads featuring its leader and a page called Senedd Election Explained that highlighted constituency races. Reform UK posted about removing the current prime minister and about Welsh issues such as the 20 mph speed limit.
Posts from Plaid Cymru about a two-horse race and stopping Reform appeared on four of the six fictional voter feeds. Similar messages came from other parties, individuals and media outlets. Local community groups on Facebook carried political discussion that ranged from bans on the topic to heated arguments.
Anonymous accounts posted exclusively about Welsh politics. Some accounts reposted news stories and offered subscriptions. Several AI-generated videos showed people discussing tax, immigration and transport; the pages were based in Sri Lanka and the United States.
A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said the party was proud of its strategic investment in digital campaigning and that it contributed to increased engagement from younger voters and record turnout.
