May 9th, 2024, Kineree Shah
Google announced cookie deprecation a few years ago and since January this year, the company has limited third-party cookies for 1% of users on Chrome. The original plan was to extend this change to all Chrome users by 2024 but the sunset of third-party cookies for Chrome has recently been postponed until 2025. With a little extra time to prepare, understanding the online behavior of Britons remains crucial for marketers adapting to a future without cookies.
According to data from YouGov Profiles, reaching Brits online might be challenging as 35% admit they use ad blockers. The primary reasons for utilising these tools include avoiding (a) annoying and (b) intrusive advertisements, factors cited by 21% and 19% of users, respectively. Additionally, 17% use ad blockers to protect themselves from malware, 15% for online security, and 14% to avoid being tracked across websites.
Despite the widespread use of ad-blockers , there's still a significant concern over internet privacy and data security. Two in five Britons believe that clearing cookies from browsers is the easiest method to maintain internet security (41%). On the other hand, a similar proportion (39%) still feel uncertain about how to protect their personal information online.
Other attitudes towards internet usage also reflect mixed feelings. Three-fifths of adults worry about the amount of data held about them on the internet (58%). Despite this concern, 52% of users accept watching ads as a fair trade-off for free content. Half of Britons often notice advertisements online, suggesting that ads which aren’t intercepted by blockers can still be effective. However, there are diverging views on privacy and security. While 39% believe that having less privacy is the price we pay for increased security, 31% are not overly concerned about their privacy when using the internet.
Make smarter business decisions with better intelligence. Understand exactly what your audience is thinking by leveraging our panel of 26 million+ members. Speak with us today.
Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for Great Britain is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.
Cover photo by picjumbo.com