IAB Europe today expressed its serious concern following the announcement that mobile operator Three is to impose network-level ad blocking in the UK and Italy followed by a rapid roll-out of the technology in its other European operations.

IAB Europe press release Research extends to include programmatic mobile and video both showing triple digit growth Cologne, 16 September 2014 – At dmexco 2015 today, IAB Europe announced that the total programmatic display advertising market in Europe jumped 70.5% from €2.14bn in 2013 to €3.65bn in 2014. This year for the first time programmatic mobile and programmatic video figures are broken out. Programmatic mobile advertising revenue grew 240% to €552m in 2014 from €230m in 2013, now representing 27.3% of the mobile display market. Programmatic video advertising grew 176% to €205m from €76m, representing 12.1% of the online video market. Programmatic desktop display is valued at €2.9bn.

If blocking is approved, internet industry representatives will submit a Constitutional complaint The Association for Internet Progress (SPIR), which includes a broad spectrum of important players in the Czech internet economy, from content providers to telecommunications companies, is expressing its fundamental disagreement with the blockage of access to websites being implemented by the draft Gambling Act being debated by the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. If the Act is passed in its current form, SPIR is prepared to initiate a motion that the Constitutional Court repeal problematic provisions due to their conflict with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

The Association for Internet Progress (SPIR) rejects the Ministry of Finance’s claim that blocking access to websites is a required tool for regulation of gambling. SPIR draws attention to the fact that the new draft Gambling Act contains provisions enabling payment blocking, which is a regulatory method that is as effective as blocking access to websites, but one less susceptible to abuse.

The Association for Internet Progress (SPIR) is announcing a tender for audience measurement of the Czech Internet (NetMonitor) for the period 2017 - 2020. The current wave of the project carried out by Gemius is in progress until the end of 2016.

Google's actions damage the Czech Internet sector, which is prepared to take defensive measures. The steps taken and planned for this purpose were presented at today's press conference of the Association for Internet Advertising (SPIR), which represents the most significant Czech Internet content providers, media agencies and other Internet market entities.

As in previous years, Internet advertising recorded double-digit growth in 2013. According to SPIR estimates, last year's advertising expenditures in various forms of online promotion reached CZK 13.3 billion. This is more than double the figure (CZK 6.4 billion) for 2009. The increase in investments is reflected in all areas of Internet advertising. The largest volume is accounted for by display banner advertisements, and advertisers also amply use paid search advertising, content networks, classifieds and directories. Video advertising on the Internet is increasingly popular among advertisers, and sales of advertising in RTB automatic purchase systems recorded rapid growth. Of total advertising expenditures, online advertising accounts for a 19 % share of the advertising budgets in the Czech Republic. The data come from the annual survey of Internet advertising performance conducted for SPIR in January and February by the Ppm Factum Research agency.

Internet Advertising spending exceeded 11 billion Czech crowns last year. In comparison with 2011, this is an increase by one quarter, confirming the position of Internet as the most dynamic advertising media type, receiving 17% of the distribution of all advertising investment. The positive trend is in part the result of the constant demand for display advertising, using of performance models in search and advertising networks, and video advertising continues to gain in importance. The expectations for this year are optimistic, and SPIR estimates a 16% growth in spending for 2013. The data is based on a current survey of advertising performance done for SPIR by the Ppm Factum research agency and on the year-round outputs of the Admosphere agency.

SPIR takes part in the international research project Mediascope organized by IAB Europe. Mediascope is an extensive research focused on media consumption patterns at total population level in online, radio, TV, mobile, newspapers and magazines and a deep dive into digital media consumption and e-commerce.