Two hours before polls close in Bulgaria's presidential election, a number of media outlets have been using their profiles on social media to publish interim "exit poll" data.

Dnevnik.bg, Mediapool.bg, mass-circulation daily 24 Chasa ("24 часа")'s websites and others have been resorting to Facebook and Twitter to publish interim data of the election.

They cite exit polls without naming the source.

However, the figures contained in the polls are mostly identical for the websites concerned and other media.

First official exit poll results are not to appear before 20:00 local time (EET), or a few minutes to 20:00 at the earliers.

Announcing exit poll data is barred under the law on election day, but the restriction only applies to the media, be they broadcast, print or online.

The limit does not apply to social media.