IAB Offers Publishers Guidance on Ad Blocking Consumers
Publishers concerned about the growing use of advertising blockers are getting some help from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. IAB released a tactical guide to help coax consumers to stop using such applications and a tool that can detect website visitors…
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using ad blockers. "The release of this primer in conjunction with the open-source ad blocking detection script will open the door for transparency and meaningful dialogue with visitors using ad blockers,” said Scott Cunningham, IAB Tech senior vice president-general manager, in a news release Monday. He said the offerings would help both small and big publishers find a way to "cut through the blockade." IAB, whose members include News Corp., Bloomberg, BuzzFeed, The New York Times and Time, said the primer provides a step-by-step process for publishers to detect and explain to consumers the value of advertising and then ask them to remove such blockers, among other options. As of August, ad blocking reached about 198 million active users globally, a 41 percent increase over the prior 12 months and cost publishers about $22 billion, IAB statistics show. In the U.S., there were about 45 million active users as of June, the industry group said. Consumers use ad blockers to protect against viruses, improve computer performance and because they dislike ads, said IAB.