A report in
The Economistoffers a different twist on ad blocking: It suggests that ad blocking might not spread as quickly to mobile phones as it has on desktops/notebooks. Some estimates
suggest that in a few countries more than a third of Internet users have ad blockers installed on their browsers. Advertisers and publishers are even more concerned that ad blockers could impact
advertising on smartphones, which will reach $100 billion this year globally, according to eMarketer. "Mobile browsers which block ads on web pages (though not in apps) have become more popular,
particularly in Asia. The operating system for Apple’s iPhones now lets users download ad-blocking software. Most importantly, last month Three, a big mobile operator, announced that it is
planning to install ad-blocking technology in its British and Italian networks."
However, the flip side is that more than half the time, smartphone users connect to the internet with
Wi-Fi, so they will still receive ads even if their mobile operator blocks them. In addition, mobile native advertising can make "network-based blocking hard, if not impossible." In addition, Three
plans to allow subscribers opt into its ad-blocking service, which is based on technology developed by Shine, an Israeli startup. The report suggests that the plan may run into problems with network
neutrality rules, "which require that all sorts of online traffic, including ads, should be treated equally."
Read the whole story at The Economist »
