More than half (52%) of UK consumers are happy to see online advertising because they realise it supports online services and content at little or no cost to them – and only one in 10 are willing to pay for advertising-free content.
The vast majority (81%), however, also want some control over – or more information about – how companies user consumer information to serve online advertising.
These findings will appear in a new report, based on research carried out by Kantar Media, due to be published by the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB UK) and ValueClick. Based on 2,000 interviews, 650 of which were carried out face-to-face, and 1,350 online, the research shows that 55% of UK consumers would rather see online advertising relevant to their interests, and 59% would rather see a lower number of relevant ads online than a higher number of less relevant ones.
Privacy concerns
Some 62% of UK consumers are concerned about online privacy, but at the same time 67% are confident that they know how to protect their privacy online. Half said they had deleted cookies from their computers in the last six months, for example, while one in five deletes cookies every week. Only one in five (19%) consumers take no steps at all to manage their privacy online.
The research also shows, however, that there is some confusion over what cookies really are. Of the 64% who claimed to know what a cookie is, only 57% went on to choose the correct definition when given a range of options – so in fact 39% of people who deleted cookies in the last six months did so without correctly knowing what cookies are and what they’re used for.
Impact of the internet on society
Consumers also appear to believe the internet is an important element of modern society – with 61% saying they believe they can live more cheaply because of the internet; half saying they feel people have more political power thanks to the internet; and 42% saying they would feel like “second class citizens” if they no longer had internet access. And a staggering 81% of UK consumers agree that the unrestricted access to information offered by the internet is what makes the web so powerful.
“This research shows the balance that the industry needs to strike: providing clear and transparent information and control to empower consumers and help them safeguard their privacy, whilst enabling relevant advertising to help fund the quality content and services that they demand,” says Nick Stringer, director of regulatory affairs at the IAB UK. “Businesses across Europe are rolling out a new icon in online ads to enable this. Backed by a campaign to explain how online advertising works and what the icon means, this study will help inform our communication.”
Carl White, CEO ValueClick Europe, adds: “This study shows that people are more receptive and open-minded about online advertising than is often reported, but they are also wary and understandably confused about the mechanics of digital marketing and privacy. It is up to us as an industry to communicate how online advertising works and the benefits it delivers more effectively.”
