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.
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