When presented with the option of opting out of receiving targeted advertisements based on their behavior, consumers are choosing to continue being tracked, according to new information from one ad network.
Fetchback, a network that focuses on retargeting -- delivering ads to consumers after they leave a website -- found that once it began including an opt-out link on its ads, users opted out a rate that was slightly less than before the link was included, Ad Age reports.
In fact, Fetchback found that the link actually spurred consumer interest in targeting, and the company received messages from consumers wanting to learn more about the process and Fetchback as a company.
BT has endured a rocky road over the past year, with legislators pushing for more transparency on how consumer data is being used. Many have lobbied for the opt-out system, and earlier this year Fetchback CEO Chad Little predicted that an opt-in world would lead to lower prices and a rise in interruptive ads.
But Fetchback's findings can be interpreted in a few different ways. The first is that consumers are made more aware of the process and are taking a vested interest in their privacy. The other interpretation is that consumers are lazy and will not take the necessary steps to opt out, even when presented with the option.
