ROME – Italy’s media regulation authority, AGCOM, announced that it will seek to clamp down on the publication of secret polls during the 15-day run up to Italy’s elections on March 4.

 Under Italy’s Law 28, passed through Italy’s Parliament in 2000 after heated debate, no polls can be published for the period 15 days prior to the election. It also stipulates a variety of other measures to ensure equal coverage for political parties.

 Nonetheless, for over 10 years, some Italian websites have secretly published the results of polls conducted during the media blackout, portraying the data in fictional settings such as horse races.

 Law 28 was motivated by the fear that public opinion could be manipulated in the days prior to the election. However, the law is often criticised for the difficulties it faces in defining certain types of media content and for its failure to address the growing online sphere.

 However, there are very few countries in Europe that have such a lengthy period of blackout. France’s law merely bans the publication of polls for a day prior to voting, while exit polls in the UK can only be released once polling stations have closed.

 AGCOM announced on Thursday that it would be looking to tackle “simulations” of polling data, by fining them in the same manner as more traditional media outlets.

 YouTrend, a site that has previously flouted the rules, ironically commented on the regulator’s statement by asking their Twitter followers if they “understood to what AGCOM are referring in this passage? We don’t.”

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