48 market research – Two in five consumers don’t use ad blockers

New data from YouGov Global Profiles provides insights into the adoption of ad blockers and anti-tracking software across 48 markets.

On average, two in five consumers don’t use any form of ad blocker or anti-tracking service on phones or web browsers. Meanwhile, a quarter have integrated ad-blockers into their web browsers. Fewer consumers (11%) prefer to install such software on their mobile devices, with only 9% employing these services on both mobile and web browsers. Interestingly, there is a 7% segment of users who use ad-blocking or anti-tracking services but have not personally installed them, suggesting either the use of shared devices with pre-installed software or less tech-savvy users benefitting from the actions of others.

In the US, two in five Americans (41%) have not engaged with any ad-blocking or anti-tracking services, aligning closely with the multi-market average. The use of these services is slightly less common in web browsers at 23% and drops to 8% for mobile devices. Combining the two platforms, 9% of users in the US have installed such services, and 5% use them without having installed them themselves.

Great Britain shows the highest percentage of consumers without any ad-blocking or anti-tracking software at 53%. The figures for those who have installed these services on web browsers, mobile phones, or both, drop to 20%, 4%, and 5%, respectively. This suggests a possible greater tolerance for advertisements or a different approach to online privacy.

In India, half of consumers do not use ad blockers or anti-tracking services (49%). The adoption rate for browser and mobile device software stands at 20% and 11%, respectively. The combined usage rate for both platforms is at 6%, with an additional 6% using the software without having installed it.

The UAE shows a relatively balanced distribution, with 44% not using any ad-blocking or anti-tracking service. Installation rates for web browsers are at 22%, and slightly higher for mobile devices at 13%. The combined use of both platforms is at 8%, while 5% use it without installation.

Lastly, in Sweden, the non-use rate is at 49%. The installation of these services on browsers and mobiles is at a lower rate of 21% and 5%, respectively. Notably, 7% of users have equipped both their mobile and web browsers with such software, and 4% use them without having installed them personally.

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Methodology: YouGov Global Profiles is a globally consistent audience dataset with 1000+ questions across 48 markets. The data is based on continuously collected data from adults aged 16+ years in China and 18+ years in other markets. The sample sizes for YouGov Global Profiles will fluctuate over time, however the minimum sample size is always c.1000. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from India and UAE, which use urban representative samples, and China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Philippines, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, which use online representative samples. Learn more about Global Profiles.