America
US smartphone users concerned about targeted ads
New York, Feb 22
Smartphone users in the US
are getting increasingly concerned about having their activity tracked
to serve them targeted ads, a study has found.
The online study
conducted by global market research firm Ipsos on behalf of TRUSTe - a
leading global Data Privacy Management (DPM) company - suggests that
most smartphone users are uncomfortable with the idea of online
behavioural advertising (OBA).
"Our research shows that the
majority of Americans (68 percent) are still uneasy about having their
online activity tracked for use in targeted ads, mainly because they
feel like they have limited control," said Chris Babel, CEO of TRUSTe.
However,
research also showed that awareness of the "AdChoices" icon, part of
the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Self-Regulatory Programme for
OBA, jumped to 37 percent.
This programme provides users with
more control over their online ad experience with the option to opt-out
of personal targeting.
"As more and more consumers understand how
their information is being tracked and the choices they have to
opt-out, the more we'll start to see consumers embrace the concept of
Online Behavioural Advertising and realise the benefits, such as
receiving great deals from their favourite online retailers," Babel said
in a press release.
One in three (33 percent) said that the
information available on AdChoices, along with the option of opting out
of OBA would make them feel more positive about the concept of targeted
ads.
According to the survey, lack of consumer trust is currently
affecting how consumers are using the internet as 77 percent of US
consumers who say they worry about their privacy online moderated their
online activity in the previous 12 months due to privacy concerns.
The research was done using an online survey among a representative quota sample of 1,000 adults aged 18-75 in the US.
Among these, 537 were smartphone users and 978 said they worry about their privacy online.