Online ad exec says 'We messed up,' worries about ad blocking

From one perspective, it could be argued that the online advertising industry is getting what it deserves. After years of having Web pages stuffed with ads, surfers are increasingly blocking them with free tools.

The other perspective is that ads, like them or not, pay people to create content, which other people like on the Web. Since finding paying subscribers is hard, ads are a key source of online revenue for publishers.

In a frank post on Thursday, a senior executive of the largest online advertising trade group admitted that the surge in online ads over the years -- and the accompanying performance issues -- have alienated many.

"We messed up," wrote Scott Cunningham, senior vice president of technology of the Internet Advertising Bureau and general manager of its Tech Lab. "As technologists tasked with delivering content and services to users, we lost track of the user experience."

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here