Dutch government confirms ad blocking detection is legal

Brussels, 23 June 2016. IAB Europe welcomes the Dutch government’s confirmation that ad blocking detection is legal, and moreover exempted from any consent rules due to the practice having no or only miniscule effects on user privacy.

“The Dutch government’s interpretation is true to the spirit of the ePrivacy Directive”, said Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, “and will ensure that Dutch publishers can continue educating users about the value of advertising. We are confident that other European countries will share the Dutch view.
 
Thanks to advertising, unprecedented amounts of free quality information and services are just a mouse click away for Internet users all over the world. IAB Europe remains committed to ensuring that the online ecosystem can continue to deliver its full potential to users, publishers, and advertisers alike.”