A third of young Britons scammed or defrauded by online ads

New research conducted by money-saving app and retailer marketing platform ZIPZERO has found that young people are becoming disproportionately alienated by digital advertising due to bombardment, excessive intrusion and/or deception.

It revealed that 33% of young people (aged 18-34) have been a victim of a scam or fraud as a result of clicking on an online ad, significantly higher than the 18% average across the UK.

ZIPZERO, the app transforming data into cash rewards for consumers, commissioned new research to uncover Britons’ experiences of online advertising.

It found that 60% of young people feel overwhelmed by the level of online advertising they are exposed to. This comes as 21% have reduced social media usage, while 13% have quit social media altogether, both due to excessive advertising.

Moreover, three in five (59%) young people have deleted an app in the past due to excessive or invasive advertising, and 20% have abandoned an email account in favour of a new one due to spam email ads.

Young Britons were also more likely to think that their devices are listening to them to inform targeted advertising, with 63% holding this belief, compared to 56% on average across the UK.

Mohsin Rashid, CEO of ZIPZERO, said: “The barrage of online ads that young people are exposed to everyday have them running for the hills. Indeed, the irony is that supposedly ‘targeted’ advertising is anything but; instead, it is but a constant deluge of overwhelming, invasive and largely irrelevant content.

“The fact that so many have fallen victim to scams or fraud due to online ads is a criminally clear indication that current advertising standards are failing to safeguard young people. In the name of advertorial insights, Big Tech – or should I say Big Brother – has for too long been left to pry and pillage people’s personal information, with next to zero transparency or accountability.

“Britons deserve ethical, non-invasive, and responsible marketing practices; these statistics must serve as a wake-up call for Big Tech, advertisers, and regulatory bodies alike. Effective advertising is no justification for violating consumer boundaries, and the wellbeing of young people should outweigh any bottom line.”