The free, ad-supported internet runs on consumer data. But privacy legislation is making it harder for advertisers to take advantage of it.

At least 80% of US consumers across age groups are concerned about data privacy when interacting with brands online, according to December 2023 data from Attest. And more than half of consumers would stop interacting with companies that have bad reputations around data or don’t allow them to opt out of tracking, per Q2 2024 data from Publishers Clearing House. Here are three non-cookie threats to advertising and information about what advertisers can do to stay visible.

35% of consumers in North America use antivirus software, a much lower amount than the 79% who report feeling very concerned about online privacy, according to August 2023 data from Malwarebytes.

he US tech giant won’t offer its VPN-like feature in China despite its stated commitment to user privacy. This Janus-face approach to privacy risks creating an intractable privacy paradox in China, one of its fastest-growing markets.