Brands  take  a  relook  at  digital  ad  strategy  as users  guard  privacy

NEW DELHI : Big digital platforms are looking at removing like and dislike counts and restricting comments amid mounting consumer demand for measures to protect online privacy, prompting brands to mull changes too.

These steps could also act to promote users’ mental well-being and do away with practices to store copious amounts of user data often used to unleash sneaky pop-up ads.

Examples include Google’s decision to drop third-party cookies (but without withdrawing interest-based user tracking); Apple launching its iOS 14.5 update that will give users the option to permit or deny an app to track their activity; and Facebook gradually moving away from providing granular user data to advertisers.