Key Word Blocking, Ad Blocking and COVID-19

Advertising is Critical in Supporting Access to Online Content

Recently, Representative Adam Schiff (CA-28) sent a letter to ANA and several other advertising-oriented associations raising concerns about the placement of advertising in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The Congressman’s letter highlighted the critical importance of advertising in supporting information access for the public and in particular sustaining the financial foundations of local and national news outlets and other publishers. We agree that advertising is integral to supporting online content and diversity in online voices.

Today, ANA responded by spotlighting the important strong steps that the ad community has been taking to ameliorate any adverse impacts of key word blocking. The letter, however, notes that a potentially even more serious threat to advertising and supported content is general ad blocking carried out by browsers and other intermediaries, and that proposed requirements in pending California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) regulations could severely magnify this threat. 

Our letter can be found here.