When Consumers Have More Control Over Ads, They Respond Better

For most of the internet’s history, online advertising has operated on a captive-audience model: consumers sit still while platforms push ads at them. The model has been profitable, but it is increasingly costly for both sides: 70% of consumers find digital ads annoying; most find more than 5 minutes of ads an hour unacceptable; nearly 1 in 5 (18%) consumers always use ad blockers for streaming content; and 37% of U.S. consumers have canceled a subscription specifically because of ads. In Q1 2025 alone, monthly cancellations rose at Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+.