3 plans to block ads for its customers

SnowTiger

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35615430:

Proposals by the mobile phone provider Three to offer ad-blockers could have a negative impact on internet access, an advertising body has warned.

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) said blocking ads could lead to consumers "having to pay for content they currently get for free".

Three said the ad-blocker it is planning to use can block 95% of banner and pop-up ads.

The service will roll out "this year" but may not be free to use.

[...]

Three explained that its aim was to improve its customers' experiences of receiving ads on mobile devices.

"Our objective... is not to eliminate mobile advertising, which is often interesting and beneficial to our customers, but to give customers more control, choice and greater transparency over what they receive," the firm said in a statement which announced its partnership with ad-blocker company Shine.

"Customers should not have to pay data charges because of advertising, mobile ads should not access handset data without explicit consent, and phone owners should only see advertising that is relevant and interesting to them rather than obtrusive and untargeted information, it added.

Advertising such as pre-roll video ads, sponsored articles and the in-feed promotions that appear inside social networks such as Twitter and Facebook will not be blocked.