Derrick
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A study has revealed that users struggle to spot the difference between genuine and fake pop-up ads.
The North Caroline State University conducted a study that examined the responses of undergraduate students to pop-up ads.
Even though students were warned that some of the ads would be fake they were still fooled 63% of the time reported the BBC.
Many of the respondents simply clicked OK as the ad was viewed as a mere annoyance.
“This study demonstrates how easy it is to fool people on the web,” said co-author Michael Wogalter, professor of psychology at North Carolina State University.
“Be suspicious when things pop up. Don’t click OK – close the box instead,” said Dr Wogalter.
Fake pop-up ads can be used to install harmful software on PCs which is why Wogalter suggests that advertisers need to rethink the wording of their pop-ups.
“I don’t know if you could develop a legitimate message that could not be duplicated and used illegitimately,” he said.
My personal take is that advertising is a much needed revenue stream for website owners but there is a balance to be maintained between making money and providing a website that users want to visit. For me pop-ups breach that barrier.
Website owners need to be cognizant of the fact that allowing rich media ads to display carte blanche is not always the wisest choice.
The North Caroline State University conducted a study that examined the responses of undergraduate students to pop-up ads.
Even though students were warned that some of the ads would be fake they were still fooled 63% of the time reported the BBC.
Many of the respondents simply clicked OK as the ad was viewed as a mere annoyance.
“This study demonstrates how easy it is to fool people on the web,” said co-author Michael Wogalter, professor of psychology at North Carolina State University.
“Be suspicious when things pop up. Don’t click OK – close the box instead,” said Dr Wogalter.
Fake pop-up ads can be used to install harmful software on PCs which is why Wogalter suggests that advertisers need to rethink the wording of their pop-ups.
“I don’t know if you could develop a legitimate message that could not be duplicated and used illegitimately,” he said.
My personal take is that advertising is a much needed revenue stream for website owners but there is a balance to be maintained between making money and providing a website that users want to visit. For me pop-ups breach that barrier.
Website owners need to be cognizant of the fact that allowing rich media ads to display carte blanche is not always the wisest choice.