The UK government is funding mass advertising campaigns with the goal of detering migrants from crossing the channel in small boats. The Home Office reportedly has a budget of around £30,000 to pay influencers in Albania, uncovered draft documents revealed. A shortlist of influencers in Albania were chosen for their ability to appeal to young men. There are plans to create similar campaigns in Egypt, Vietnam, India and Turkey. A spokesperson for the Home Office said "People smugglers frequently use social media to peddle lies and promote their criminal activities, and it is vital that we utilise the same platforms to inform migrants about the truths about crossing the Channel and coming to the UK illegally." #uk #unitedkingdom #migrants #migrantcrisis #englishchannel #immigration #influencers #albania #vietnam #egypt #india #turkey