Study: Consumers see much greater risk than reward in online ads

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) The risks far outweigh the benefits for most consumers in their response to personalized online ads, known as online behavioral advertising, suggests a study by University of Illinois advertising professor Chang-Dae Ham. The perception of risk drives consumers to greater privacy concerns and to avoid the advertising. The ad industry may want to reconsider its approach as a result, he said. The study appears in the May issue of the International Journa