At a time of widespread concern over one slogan on a bus, Leave campaigns were pumping out whatever messages they wanted on Facebook with no scrutiny. Readers may not even have realised where they came from. #fbpe #peoplesvote theguardian.com/technology/201…
Robert Mercer was investing huge amounts in Cambridge Analytica and its sister companies in order to influence politics - in the UK, US and other countries. Widespread potential for data misuse, but also links to black ops hackers and intelligence companies.
Russia was using harvested data to target misinformation on SM, aiming to destabilise Western countries and influence elections. It was also building business links with key players that may have gone beyond the exchange of information. 
And these activities are continuing. Steve Bannon is now based in Europe and meeting senior Tories. Robert Mercer's hydra is not dead, and he has plenty of cash to start CA all over again.
The DCMS report proposes limits on campaign spend by individuals and tightening of the rules on scrutiny, but Mercer and Bannon will want to do the reverse - introducing unlimited campaign spend as they have in the US.
The report has huge implications for the referendum result, but the bigger issue for our future is to make sure its forward-looking recommendations are taken seriously.
