New laws are needed to make Britain's election rules fit for the digital age, the Electoral Commission has said – as it warned that trust in the democratic system was being undermined by new underhand campaigning techniques.

In its research for a new report on the 2019 election the UK's democracy watchdog found that 58 per cent of people agreed that in general "campaigning online is untrue or misleading".

The Commission said that in particular changes to the law are required to make targeted political advertising fair, after parties at the last election used platforms like Facebook to "micro-target" different messages at specific people in specific areas.

"We have signalled our concern about these issues before. If voters lose trust and confidence in political campaigning, democracy as a whole will suffer," the Commission said in its report.

"Campaigners, candidates and parties themselves need to take greater responsibility for the presentation and content of campaigns they run and the impact of their activities on public confidence in elections."

Demanding immediate action from the government, they added: "We cannot afford to miss the window of opportunity between now and the next scheduled general election. There needs to be real change to protect trust and confidence in campaigns at future elections and the integrity of our democracy."

The Commission said that "digital tools and channels have changed the campaigning landscape in the UK significantly" and "concerns about transparency are beginning to overshadow" potential benefits for greater engagement.

It said it should become a legal requirement for social media companies to make clear who is behind political advertising, and for providers like Facebook and Google to be more specific about who adverts are targeted at.

Currently, Facebook gives information as broad as "England" or "Scotland" when explaining where adverts are targeted, but gives advertisers much closer control and the ability to target them at particular demographics in a particular constituency.

The Commission also said the amount of money campaigners spend on ads should be more accurately disclosed, instead of providing a range, and that unpaid political campaigning should be labelled as political material and have to include the usual disclaimer.

The Commission also criticised certain practices by political parties during the election, stating:

"Some campaigners branded their social media pages in ways that meant it wasn’t clear who was responsible for them, or used misleading website links to encourage people to visit their sites; other examples used edited video clips to present their opponents negatively."

Though the Commission did not name a political party, the Conservatives attracted criticism during the campaign for setting up a fake "fact-checking" service and using it to endorse Boris Johnson on social media during televised debates.

Election night 2019: In Pictures Show all 36 1 /36 Election night 2019: In Pictures Election night 2019: In Pictures First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, takes a selfie with some her newly elected MP's at the Glasgow count Getty Election night 2019: In Pictures Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures after speaking AP Election night 2019: In Pictures A police officer breaks up a fight while Hayes and Harlington MP John McDonnell speaks Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Liberal Democrat candidate Luciana Berger reacts as she loses the Finchley & Golders Green constituency in north London PA Election night 2019: In Pictures DUP MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart with her son Charlie at Meadowbank Sports Arena as counting begins PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour's John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor speaks after winning his constituency seat following the count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Liberal Democrats candidate for Edinburgh West, Christine Jardine retains her seat at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Theresa Villers after she was re-elected as MP for Chipping Barnet at Allainz Park, London in the 2019 General Election. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday December 13, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire Jacob King PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon takes a photo with party members at the SEC Centre in Glasgow after the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain's election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) Scott Heppell AP Election night 2019: In Pictures The DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly reacts to losing the Belfast South seat at the Titanic exhibition centre, Belfast, for the 2019 General Election. PA Photo. Picture date: Friday December 13, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Liam McBurney PA Election night 2019: In Pictures TOPSHOT - Carrie Symonds, partner of Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson, holds their dog, a Jack Russell-cross named Dilyn, as she arrives at the count centre in Uxbridge, west London, on December 13, 2019 while votes were counted as part of the UK general election. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ruling party appeared on course for a sweeping victory in Thursday's snap election, an exit poll showed, paving the way for Britain to leave the EU next month after years of political deadlock. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) OLI SCARFF AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures TOPSHOT - Party activists keep an eye on proceedings as ballot papers are sorted at the count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow on December 12, 2019. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) PAUL ELLIS AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures DUP leader Arlene Foster watches on as Sinn Fein candidate John Finucane is declared the winner of the north Belfast seat over DUP candidate Nigel Dodds in the Belfast count centre at the Titanic Exhibition centre on December 13, 2019 in Belfast, United Kingdom. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots in a tray labelled Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats candidate for East Dunbartonshire, are seen at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Bishopbriggs, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Sinn Fein's John Finucane, the winning candidate in the Belfast North seat, with Party Vice President Michelle O'Neill and President Mary Lou McDonald, celebrates at the count centre, Titanic Quarter, Belfast, Northern Ireland REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon smiles as she arrives at the SEC Centre in Glasgow for the declaration in her constituency in the 2019 general election, Friday Dec. 13, 2019. An exit poll in Britain's election projects that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party likely will win a majority of seats in Parliament. That outcome would allow Johnson to fulfil his plan to take the U.K. out of the European Union next month. AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Conservative Party MP Dominic Raab being congratulated by Baron Badger after being re-elected to serve the constituency of Esher and Walton at Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey at the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Conservative Party parliamentary candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his way to the stage at the Sports Training Village, University of Bath, on December 13, 2019 in Bath, England. The current Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks on stage after losing her seat at the East Dunbartonshire count centre in Bishopbriggs, north of Glasgow, on December 13, 2019 after votes were counted as part of the UK general election. AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Bobby Smith, a political and fathers' rights activist and founder and leader of the 'Give Me Back Elmo' party, left, and Independent candidate Count Binface stand either side of Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Boris Johnson wait for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency count declaration at Brunel University in Uxbridge, London, Friday AP Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, with wife Laura Alvarez, talks to workers as he arrives for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, visits the vote count in his Islington North constituency on December 12, 2019 in London, England. Corbyn, who has held the Islington North seat since 1983, is expected to step down as leader if his party is dealt a decisive defeat by the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Prime Minister called the first UK winter election for nearly a century in an attempt to gain a working majority to break the parliamentary deadlock over Brexit. The election results from across the country are being counted overnight and an overall result is expected in the early hours of Friday morning. Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour Party candidate Sharon Hodgson speaks after is announced as the winner for the constituency of Washington and Sunderland West at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Sunderland, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn arriving for the count at Sobell Leisure Centre for the Islington North and South constituencies for the 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Labour candidate for Walthamstow Stella Creasy carries her baby daughter as she speaks after winning in Britain's general election in Waltham Forest Town Hall, Walthamstow, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures The first ballot boxes for Belfast North are brought into the count centre in Belfast on December 12, 2019 to be counted for the UK general election. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Independent, Count Binface poses for a photograph as he waits for the results in the count centre in Uxbridge, where Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative leader Boris Johnson hopes to hold his seat, in west London, on December 12, 2019. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on course for a decisive majority, exit polls indicated after voting closed in Britain's general election on Thursday, paving the way for Brexit. AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballot boxes are emptied during the count at Northumbria University's Sports Central in Newcastle for the 2019 General Election PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Brighton, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballots arrive at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Esher, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures General Election 2019 - Election count at Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt for Newry & Armagh, South Antrim, North Antrim, Upper Bann, East Londonderry, Foyle, Lagan Valley and Mid Ulster. Election night 2019: In Pictures A woman wears a rosette with the name of independent candidate Joe Bousfield on it as ballots are tallied at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Hartlepool, Britain REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures An exit poll from Thursday's election is projected onto Broadcasting House in London, Britain, December Jeff Overs/BBC via REUTERS Election night 2019: In Pictures The broadcaster's exit poll results projected on the outside of the BBC building in London shows Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party predicted to win 368 seats and a majority (L) and Jeremy Corbyn's opposition Labour Party to win 191 seats, as the ballots begin to be counted in the general election on December 12, 2019 AFP via Getty Images Election night 2019: In Pictures Ballot boxes are opened at Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, as counting begins 2019 General Election. PA Election night 2019: In Pictures Votes are counted at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, for the UK Parliamentary General Election count PA

The party also set up websites with titles such as "labour manifesto" and paid for Google adverts to direct people to the page, which contained a false overview of the manifesto's contents.

Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “This report is a call to action, to bolster Britain’s struggling democracy. Sadly the government has often kicked the can down the road when it comes to introducing simple, consensus-driven reforms that we need - such as 'imprints' for online ads.

“The coronavirus crisis has shown the need for swift action to tackle misleading information online. But parties also need to put their house in order when it comes to misinformation.