Most consumers choose not to opt-out of behavioral targeting

Marketers who feared opt-out icons on targeted advertising would lead to a mass uptake can relax. Recent analysis has shown that, when given the option to opt-out of behavioral tracking, many consumers don't bother.

by Helen Leggatt

Earlier this year, the Digital Advertising Alliance, representing thousands of advertising and trade companies, announced details of a program designed to give consumers more control over how their Internet browsing habits are used to target ads.

Advertisers that collect Internet user information for behavioral targeting of ads were encouraged to implement an "Advertising Option Icon" on websites, or near ads, where behavioral tracking has been used.

But, as ClickZ reports, recent analysis from Better Advertising shows few consumers are choosing to opt out. An average of one in 700,000 who were served an ad with the icon chose to opt out - a rate of about 0.00014%.

Of those that clicked on the icon and were presented with information about tracking, only 5% decided to continue the process and fully opt out.

This is great news for marketers who depend on targeted advertising to hone their response and conversion rates.

"There's always a chance the number of users opting out could go up as more advertisers implement the icon... It's early days, but there's no indication the opt out rate will go up dramatically," said Better Advertising CEO Scott Meyer.

"Whatever the [opt-out] rate is, it's so small that it's not going to destroy the business."