Monday, February 03, 2020

Sen. Wyden urges FTC to probe ad-blocking industry


Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) wants the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the ad-blocking software industry.
“Hundreds of millions of consumers around the world have downloaded and installed software tools that purport to block online ads. In turn, the largest ad companies — including Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Verizon Media — have quietly paid millions of dollars to some of the largest ad blocking software companies in order to be able to continue to track and target consumers with ads,” Wyden says in a letter to FTC Chairman Joseph Simons.
“In 2011, Adblock Plus, one of the most popular free ad blocking tools, stopped blocking all ads by default and instead started to display ads in return for substantial payments from the largest ad companies,” the letter said. Adblock Plus is made by Eyeo, a German company.
The FTC said it had gotten the letter, the Verge reported.
News and Tech

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