Consumers Support Ads for Free Content, But Want Simpler Laws Beet.TV [Video]

Do consumers want a free and open internet or do they want robust data privacy legislation?

The answer is both, according to new research from the Interactive Advertising Bureau suggests.

The research, “Striking the Balance: The Consumer Perspective on Privacy, Preference, and Personalization“, found 80% of U.S. consumers prefer free internet access supported by ads and over 70% are willing to share data to enable it.

“Only 2% of consumers actually mentioned that advertising was a concern,” said Jack Koch, SVP, Research & Insights, IAB, in this video interview with Beet.TV.

“A majority of consumers, 80% of them, in fact, mentioned criminal activities, such as fraud and data breaches, and that’s what they’re really concerned about, not advertising (itself).”

IAB’s study suggests that data privacy laws should focus on protecting consumers from fraud and data breaches, rather than on regulating advertising. This is important because it highlights the areas where consumers are most concerned, …