Effect of Online Behavioral Advertising on Consumers OBA on customersExogenous variablesEndogenous variablesOBA and the futureConclusionReferencesIntroductionA rapidly growing population Along with digitalization and globalization, the number of Internet users is constantly increasing. The expansion of e-commerce is closely linked to this development. Especially in times of isolation caused by the Corona crisis in which we are currently living, we spend much more time on the Internet than before, which seems to be a great opportunity for the growth of the online shopping sector. Lockdowns in countries around the world have had a significant influence on the number of online purchases. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayIn general, people are often irritated by online advertisements, and especially when they are irrelevant, they tend to avoid them. To increase the effectiveness of their marketing strategies, businesses choose to use different methods, including online behavioral advertising (OBA), also known as online targeting. This method targets consumers based on the personal information collected. However, to be effective, a high level of personalization is required, which can raise privacy concerns. Additionally, it can cause feelings of anxiety and fear. So far, various scandals related to the misuse of personal data collected on the Internet have been made public. For example, the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal of 2018, in which the company acquired the personal information of millions of Facebook users without any consent and used it for political advertising. This scandal proves that we need to be careful about our behavior online, as our personal data can be stolen and misused. The growing importance of the e-commerce sector and the scandals related to online marketing are the reasons why it is still relevant to discuss and investigate online behavioral advertising practices and their influence on consumers.Behavioral Advertising in online (OBA)Definition and mechanism of OBATo be able to understand the problem of online behavioral advertising, the real meaning of this term must first be clarified. There are several studies that aim to find definitions of OBA. Boerman et al. (2017) review the scientific literature on this topic and compare definitions from previous articles. According to their findings, they have two attributes in common. The first common feature is the observation of consumers' activities on the Internet through surveillance or tracking and the second is the application of the obtained information for individually designed advertisements. Based on this finding, Boerman et al. (2017) offer a definition that describes OBA as “the practice of monitoring people's online behavior and using the collected information to show people individually targeted information.” In other words, companies using online behavioral advertising detect and collect information about what people view, buy, watch, write, post or click on the Internet, so that they can improve the understanding of potential and actual customers and to offer them a servicequality and satisfy their needs more effectively through the distribution of personalized ads. The OBA mechanism can be illustrated with a Facebook example. Facebook, as the social network with the largest number of users, generates most of its revenue through advertising. (Facebook 2020) The network's developers have created trackers, which can collect information about users' browsing activities off and on Facebook and this information can later be used for advertising purposes. For example, if a user searches for a graphic design course on the Internet, Facebook can assess, based on the browsing history, that he is interested in graphic design and can therefore display an advertisement for this type of course on the site of the user. wall. Third-party cookies are the most widely used means of collecting personal information. After an agreement between the website and the data collection company, a cookie file is placed on users' computers, allowing third-party companies to monitor their online activities and use this data for behavioral advertising purposes by line. These files are often deleted without the consumers' permission or even awareness and that is why it can be perceived as a violation of privacy. Moreover, due to the constant advancements in the Internet world, it is very demanding to stop all tracking, because new ways of secretly collecting personal information appear very frequently. Recent technologies even make it possible to track consumers in real time. Technology has gotten to the point where it is possible to “create an online ad request when the consumer begins to load the web page, so that targeting can begin before the web page even loads.” » The extent of tracking differs from case to case depending on the needs of advertisers. In some cases a simple cookie is sufficient, in others complex profiling techniques must be applied. Comment from lenka: podobne originalu skus upraviť Comment from lenka: skus doplnit nieco o cookies Comment from lenka: skontroluj s originalom ci sa to privelmi nepodobaTheoretical backgroundOpinions on OBA practices are diverse. Some users benefit from personalized services while others may feel threatened. In the past, this diversity has been studied several times and, as online behavioral advertising is an interdisciplinary research topic, the range and variety of explanatory theories used are rather extensive. In previous studies of responses to OBA, scientists have worked with theories from marketing, psychology, and communication, but none of them are dominant or recurrent. The most cited theories are social contract theory, psychological reactance theory, and the knowledge model of persuasion. These theoretical concepts are used to clarify consumers' negative perceptions toward OBA practices. For example, when consumers give consent to the company to collect and use their personal data, a contract between the two parties is concluded. As part of this contract, people expect that the company will work with their information responsibly and if these expectations are not met by the advertiser, it could mean the breach of this contract and therefore the loss of trust. This can also happen in the case of covert data collection, where personal space is violated (social contract theory). Additionally, negative reactance can be induced through a high degree of personalization (psychological reactance theory). Furthermore, when peoplelearn more about OBA practices, feelings of skepticism may arise (persuasion knowledge model). According to the latter concept, an advertiser, as a persuasion agent, attempts to persuade/convince consumers, a target of persuasion, in a covert manner. This is later discovered and prompts users to interact with the ads. (Ham et al. 2017) looks in more detail at the knowledge model of persuasion and the theory of protection motivation. Framework To classify the results of previous OBA exams and gain a clearer overview of this topic, Varnali (2019) develops a framework dividing online behavioral advertising research into three levels. To be more precise, according to his findings, there are three perspectives when it comes to online targeting. First, a macro-level perspective, which focuses on legal issues related to OBA. Second, an ecosystem level perspective, which looks at the strategies used to optimize the OBA system, and a third perspective, which studies OBA on a single advertiser's campaign level. Macro-Level PerspectiveVarnali (2019) asserts that there are no virtual limits to the tracking, profiling, and targeting of individuals on the Internet. Until now, scientists have often devoted their research to the problem of finding the balance between the protection of the privacy of Internet users and the interests/benefits of advertisers and publishers. In this context, the term privacy-personalization paradox emerges, suggesting that better results can be achieved through greater ad relevance brought about by an increased level of personalization. However, further personalization can also be dangerous because it increases the risk of losing control over users' personal information. In many cases, data is collected without consumers' knowledge, often leading to privacy issues and ultimately leading to customer distrust and loss. Similar effects can be induced when companies indirectly force Internet users to accept targeting. So, when users want to read the content of a web page, they must first agree to the website's policies. In the literature, the ethics of OBA is frequently discussed, but due to the different interests of the parties involved, it is quite demanding to decide what is moral. and what is not. There are several regulations that attempt to manage and restrict unethical OBA behavior, but there are still some loopholes that allow advertisers to use deceptive methods and secretly obtain personal information about customers. customers. These gaps exist due to different definitions, interpretations, and approaches to OBA and privacy concerns. To illustrate this statement, Varnali (2019) gives an example of different meanings of the term consent. In some countries it is sufficient when it is informative or derivative while in others it must be given explicitly. In recent years, several institutions have decided to act in favor of protecting people's privacy. For example, in 2016 the European Union published the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) valid for all its member states. The regulation aims to improve the data protection of European citizens and contains answers to questions regarding the collection, use and storage of this data. (Council of the European Union 2015) Also in the United States, several initiatives have fought for the adoption of data protection laws. One of them is called the Do Not TrackAct. The purpose of this regulation is to define the rights of Internet users and the obligations of advertisers in terms of privacy. This legislation would also allow users to choose whether they want to be tracked or opt out. (US Senate 2019) Unfortunately, this initiative has still not been adopted and therefore only partial legislation exists in the United States (e.g. the California Consumer Privacy Act) which is only effective in certain US territories. After reviewing the literature relating to OBA, Varnali (2019) offers several topics discussed regarding privacy. These include user opt-in and opt-out options, routines to authorize targeting, effectiveness of disclosures, OBA icons and tools to control OBA, non-compliance with targeting in online and Internet privacy administration. . Furthermore, researchers have developed moral guidelines that should ensure the stabilization of the legal aspect of OBA and should be used simultaneously by advertisers, publishers and regulators. These guidelines include an honest, transparent and fair approach, data control, information protection and respect for stakeholder objectives. Ecosystem-level perspectiveWhen it comes to OBA practices, three actors (consumers, advertisers, and publishers) need to be distinguished and discussed. Publishers provide space to advertisers who compete for it in auctions, and after acquiring the space, the ads are displayed to consumers. (Chen and Stallaert 2014) This space can be used for OBA or traditional advertising and is usually achieved by placing cost-per-click auctions where the winning advertiser is chosen based on the best match between a user and an offer of an advertising company. Suitable ads are calculated using complex algorithms using information already collected about online activities. Studies from an ecosystem perspective investigate the impacts of targeting on the bottom line of advertising and publishing companies as well as the impacts on society. Research has shown that consumer and advertiser profits are directly proportional to the degree of personalization the media distributor decides to implement. Additionally, online targeting can help publishers double their revenue. However, in case of high competition and low advertiser estimates, revenue could decline. This means that top advertisers might have lower benefits than consumers and underage advertisers. (Chen and Stallaert 2014) Another difference in benefits can be observed regarding platforms. According to Gal-Or, Gal-Or, and Penmetsa (2018), this is due to the diversity of advertiser and user populations and their distinct targeting preferences. The amount of income is also affected by increased consumer control. Concretely, more control reduces the level of targeting differentiation and therefore leads to a reduction in advertising costs. In the case of symmetric pricing and a small number of competitors, revenue can be increased through targeting based on locations visited by consumers, but otherwise a competitor's response reduces profits. When discussing the ecosystem level, data brokerage companies cannot be omitted. These companies acquire consumers' personal data to trade or share it with other companies or individuals. Based on this information, personal profiles are developed and subsequently used by advertisers orother interested parties. This can be very problematic because users are often unaware that their personal data is being collected and exchanged and therefore cannot control the use of this data. It is also important to mention the difference between the macro level and the ecosystem level. While macro-level forward-looking research findings suggest an increase in customer control, ecosystem-level examination has highlighted that greater control leads to decreased player revenue. This may be one argument as to why progress on increased consumer control in online behavioral targeting is so slow. Campaign-Level PerspectiveThe campaign-level perspective looks at the question of how to gain consumer acceptance of OBA practices and how to use these practices effectively while reducing privacy concerns. According to Varnali (2019), in studies carried out at the campaign level, there are exogenous variables (user characteristics when viewing advertising, aspects regulated by advertising agencies) and endogenous variables (emotions and user perceptions of advertising, monitored user online activities). behavior and goals). Influence of OBA on CustomersExogenous VariablesTo understand the influence of OBA on consumers, the exogenous and endogenous variables mentioned above need to be discussed and explained. Communication design as an exogenous variable plays a very important role in terms of OBA effects and has been the subject of several studies in the past. Varnali (2019) recalls the results of numerous studies that have studied this subject. For example, Goldfarb and Tucker (2011) studied the effects of advertising content on consumers regarding online behavioral advertising and came to the conclusion that if advertisements tailored to the content of the web page are used, the intention to purchase increases. The same goes for an increase in the intrusiveness of an advertisement. However, combined, the strategies are not effective. Another important influencing factor is personalization. As mentioned earlier, this can help advertisers offer better services, but at the same time, it can be a source of concerns regarding privacy security. The degree of personalization depends on the amount and type of data used (e.g. age, education, browsing history). The scientists combined some of these types of data and their results indicate that the level of personalization can impact feelings of intrusion, vulnerability, perceived usefulness, privacy concerns and reactance. Negative attitudes related to high levels of personalization can be explained by the fact that personalized advertisements can generate feelings of powerlessness regarding possession, control and freedom of choice of information. (Boerman et al. 2017) Furthermore, scientists revealed that the high level of personalization is often perceived as intrusive and this can lead to a negative change in purchase intention and not changing even after offering discounts. (Varnali 2019) These negative perceptions can be mitigated by advertising tailored to user needs. (Van Doorn and Hoekstra 2013) Ad avoidance is lower when users perceive that ads are designed specifically for them. Bleier and Eisenbeiss (2015a) proposed a concept composed of two dimensions of personalized advertising. These dimensions serve to show accuracy (depth of personalization) and fullness (breath ofpersonalization) of user interests displayed through actual advertisements. Among retailers considered more trustworthy, the perceived usefulness of advertising may be high without negatively impacting consumers and their privacy concerns when they decide to apply narrow scope and high depth. Retailers, who are considered less trustworthy, should not resort to deeper personalization, as this can negatively impact reactance and privacy issues. Lenka's comment: así treba doplniť aj dalsieho autoraTo create more trust between businesses and consumers, the use of a “privacy trust mark” is suggested. The application of this sign would mean that the visited site participates in an initiative focused on the protection of privacy. This could induce a sense of trust and improve consumers' attitudes towards OBA. (Stanaland et al. 2011) Lenka's comment: je to priama citacia ak ano dopln autora Lenka's comment: prebrate z boerman skantroluj povodny text porovnaj ho a pripadne prepis a uprav autoraBleier and Eisenbeiss (2015b) assert that the interaction between timing and placement may impact the effectiveness of banner ad content personalization. Based on the results of their research, they made three observations. Looking at the high level of content personalization, the best effectiveness is achieved at the time of visiting the e-commerce site and it decreases rapidly with time. Less personalized ads are less effective, but they manage to outperform, due to their persistence. How informative and intrusive advertisements are perceived depends on the browsing experience and user goals. Additionally, Huang (2018) also shows that ad placement can influence OBA. According to his study, banners placed closer to articles with related content received more attention than sidebar ads. Click-through rates, brand consideration, and purchase intentions can increase if ads match the consumer's cognitive styles, stage of the purchasing process, and body preferences. (Urban et al. 2013) A study by Bruce, Murthi, and Rao (2017) implies that dynamic ads have a greater impact on postponement rates than static formats. The scientists also revealed that there is a positive impact on OBA if the advertising content includes information about the price of the product. Low click-through rates due to less diverse campaigns, brands spending more on advertising, or companies that sell hard goods, can be caused by a high degree of ad frequency and recency. It is also important to consider the impact of collecting information from consumers on the acceptance and effectiveness of online behavioral advertising. Miyazaki (2008) asserts that negative perceptions regarding cookies can be reduced by prior disclosure of cookies. Consumer perceptions of OBA risks may be affected by the extent to which the advertiser shares personal data with third parties (Jai et al. 2013). Serving personalized ads and avoiding sharing personal information can alleviate users' privacy concerns. (Sutanto et al. 2013) Covert information collection can also negatively influence the perception of personalized advertisements. Aguirre et al (2015) revealed that overt accumulation of data isperceived more positively and can lead to higher click-through rates. In addition, thanks to the addition of the OBA sign, the difference between these methods of collecting information was reduced and the intentions of clicking on advertising became equal. This finding suggests that the OBA symbol has positive effects not only on the perception of the advertisement but also on the brand itself. (Van Noort et al. 2013) However, it is important to mention that the use of this sign is only profitable for advertising agencies. For users, this can be rather misleading, as it will not help them make reasonable choices when it comes to online targeting. (Boerman et al. 2017) Increased control over personal data can drive interest in clicking on ads. (Tucker 2014) In Varnali's (2019) study, three types of consumer characteristics are distinguished. Inherent characteristics, which represent demographic information and psychological characteristics of consumers (e.g., age, education, nationality, privacy concerns, openness regarding information sharing), perceptual characteristics, which are based on experiences, prior beliefs or needs of the consumer (e.g., consumer attitude). and perception towards brands, OBA), spatio-temporal characteristics, representing the conditions in which consumers find themselves when an advertisement is displayed (for example, navigation conditions). Endogenous variables These variables, coming directly from consumers, are perceptions, gratifications and behavioral intentions. According to Ham (2017), online behavioral advertising risks caused by less information and entertainment can negatively impact OBA perception. In this context another important term emerges, namely perceived benefit, which represents the potential profit of consumers after taking into account possible risks. To explain how to evaluate benefits and risks, the term privacy calculation is frequently used. It is based on the theory of social exchange and the theory of utility of acquisitions and transactions. (Boerman et al. 2017) According to the first theory, people participate in social exchanges after considering the advantages and disadvantages. Based on this assessment, they adjust their behavior and only exchange socially if they perceive more benefits than risks. (Schumann et al. 2014) The second theory proposes that there is a dependence between the probability of purchase intention and the comparison of possible benefits and risks. (Baek and Morimoto 2012) In reality, it is quite difficult to evaluate the perceived benefits, because people often need to find the necessary information very quickly and therefore do not have enough time to consider the real benefits and harms of their decisions by clicking. Another theory mentioned regarding perceived benefits is the information frontier theory, which implies that the disadvantages associated with OBA outweigh its benefits, because online targeting is perceived as an invasion of personal space. (Boerman et al. 2017) A study by Ham (2017) suggests that the context of the advertisement also plays a significant role in assessing the potential risks and benefits of OBA. People are more open to the risk of unwanted collection of personal data on Facebook rather than through OBA, because they believe that being on Facebook brings more advantages than disadvantages. Dehling et al. (2019) created a model that describes the relationships between OBA awareness, knowledge, attitude, acceptance, and dissonance. According to this model, consciousness andOBA knowledge is formed by continuous advertising confrontation. If the degree of consciousness increases, it also means that the amount of knowledge increases. On the other hand, a higher degree of knowledge does not mean greater awareness. Depending on the levels of these two factors, the consumer's attitude towards OBA also changes. As Estrada-Jimenez et al (2017) indicate, there are four types of these attitudes (negative, positive, indifferent, ambivalent). The type of attitude depends on the number of benefits and concerns perceived by consumers. For example, a high level of perceived benefits and a low level of concern mean that the consumer's attitude is quite positive. Many concerns may prompt consumers to take further steps to protect their own privacy (for example, installing software used to avoid online tracking). This behavior can be explained by the stimulus-organism-response model, which suggests that stimulation affects a person's cognitive and emotional reactions and therefore reflects on their subsequent actions. Boerman et al. (2017) propose that protection motivation theory and the extended parallel processing model can also be used to understand consumers' negative feelings toward OBA. An inappropriate invasion of consumer privacy can be perceived as a threat. People's motivations to take new actions against this scourge depend on the perceived levels of threat and effectiveness. Simply put, the higher these levels are, the more motivated users feel. The results of this research also show that consumer attitudes do not continually change. Consumers act rather passively. When needed, they evaluate the situation they are currently in and decide if they are ready to accept it. Overall, the majority of people don't feel the need to worry about targeted advertising. By being confronted with this type of advertising, consumers, more aware of OBA and better informed, feel more secure. Conversely, people who are less informed and less aware tend to react overly sensitively or show almost no signs of caring. Better-informed people also tend to underestimate the effects of online behavioral advertising on themselves, which could negatively influence their decision-making. (Boerman et al. 2017) The more efforts affected users make to protect their privacy. (Smit et al. 2014) However, these efforts can often be insufficient. There are several ways to regulate OBA (e.g. delete, block cookies), but not all of them are capable of completely limiting it. (Boerman et al. 2017) Based on these facts, it can be assumed that users wishing to protect themselves against OBA must not only be well-informed about OBA practices, but must also possess higher-level IT skills. In this article, scientists also express the opinion that having fundamental information about OBA can enable users to become more involved in protecting their privacy with regard to Internet advertising. The authors of this article also confirmed that consumers want more information and control over OBA. In addition, they want more relevance and diversity in the content advertised. Excessive repetition and lack of relevance in advertising content can lead to embarrassment and negative attitude change. A clear explanation of ad adaptation methods couldconstitute a reasonable approach to alleviating customer concerns. A request was also expressed for the creation of new means of information and monitoring of consumers. Transparency in tracking methods could build trust between advertisers and consumers, as it could help the latter get rid of the idea that advertisers are trying to manipulate them and that they have something deceptive to hide. (Dehling et al. 2019) For many users, transparency seems to be the right way to deal with privacy issues, but it remains very problematic due to the large amount of information, which needs to be studied to understand what are the website policies. (Varnali 2019) Furthermore, due to incessant technological advancement, it is even more difficult to navigate the opt-out possibilities. To alleviate privacy concerns, advertising companies should make these options more explicit so that consumers are more aware that they can decide for themselves whether they want to be tracked. This measure could encourage consumers to take control of their data and, therefore, help reduce advertising evasion. Negative experiences with online targeting can turn into feelings of disbelief and, in the long run, have a negative impact on advertising in general. (Ham et al. 2017) Lenka's comment: dopis a over zdroj asi dehling ale skontroluj Lenka's comment: how consumers are informed and how they react. Since each person has individual needs, wants, and perceptions, it makes sense that users act differently when it comes to OBA. In order to be able to regulate data collection according to individual preferences, the content and display of privacy statements should be discussed. These statements serve to inform users about the type of information collected and how and why it is collected. (Boerman et al. 2017) Although scientists claim that these statements should reduce the information imbalance between users and advertisers, this effort often fails, because in most cases consumers ignore reading these texts. (McDonald and Cranor 2008) The formulations used are often very long, complicated and difficult to understand. Consumers often tend to accept websites' privacy and cookie policies because they realize that they have no other options if they want website content to be displayed. After agreeing to these policies, they understand that their personal information is used when personalized advertisements appear. (Dehling 2019) As claimed by Boerman et al. (2017), offering users the ability to decide whether or not they want to be tracked appears to be the right way to give consumers more freedom and control. However, the text mentioned above confirms that this approach is not entirely ideal and often fails to achieve its objective, due to the different interests of the parties involved. There is also another way to inform users about the collection and use of their data. Likewise, like the privacy statements, the disclosure of cookies aims to bring more transparency to the OBA's processes. In practice, several disclosure display methods have been used (e.g., pop-ups, banners). To raise consumer awareness about disclosures, the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance and the American Digital Advertising Alliance created a unifying icon consisting of a blue triangle with theletter I. (Boerman et al 2017) Scientific research results have shown that this effort is rather ineffective because users are not well informed about the meaning and purpose of this sign and tend to ignore it. (Ur et al. 2012, Van Noort et al. 2013) Van Noort et al. (2013) also suggest that an additional sentence containing the information that the advertisement is based on consumers' online behavior could provide more understanding around OBA. Several studies suggest that Internet users understand OBA quite poorly. (Marreiros et al. 2015; McDonald and Cranor 2010; Smit et al. 2014) Most users do not understand how data collection works or how it is shared and distributed to third parties. (McDonald and Cranor 2010) In general, people perceive OBA practice rather negatively. Personalized ads are considered invasive and symbolize the violation of personal space. Phélan et al. (2016) explain these negative perceptions on the theory of social presence. When it comes to online behavioral advertising, this means that collecting personal information could cause the same feeling of being watched over one's shoulder. (Boerman et al. 2017) Users who realize that they are actually being tracked tend to adapt their online behavior to the situation. (McDonald and Cranor 2010) Turrow et al. (2009) argue that user age is another factor that influences how behavioral targeting is perceived. After observing younger and older users, they concluded that younger people are more willing to accept OBA, even if they also don't want to be tracked. The degree of ad personalization impacts the intent to click on ad content. (Boerman et al. 2017) In the study by Boerman et al. (2017), several scientific discoveries related to this topic are mentioned. For example, ads based on the user's background generate fewer clicks than those based on the user's interests. (Tucker 2014) In addition, they also generate more clicks compared to advertisements that are not personalized or on the contrary have high levels of personalization and consist of basic personal data. (Aguirre et al. 2015) Additionally, ads displaying shopping cart contents from a previous visit to a website have a more positive influence on click-through rates than less personalized ads that display only recently viewed products. (Bleier and Eisenbeiss 2015) As an example of the effects of online behavioral advertising on purchasing decisions, we can cite a study conducted by Lambrecht and Tucker (2013). (Boerman et al. 2017) Their research results indicate that purchase intention is determined by the type of advertising in combination with the phase of the purchase decision. Users with a narrow range of preferences in a later stage were more affected by OBA than those with undefined ideas in earlier stages. The researchers also examined and compared consumers' perceptions of the justification for data collection and inferred that people are more willing to accept the fact that they can visit the website in exchange for their personal data (argument of reciprocity) rather than the fact that it is essential to make advertising content more relevant (relevance argument). (Schumann et al. 2014) If advertisers want to succeed in their OBA practices, they should also try to learn more about why users are online. According to the interactive advertising model (Rogers and Thorson 2000), advertisements that respond tothese motivations may perform better because consumers tend to pay more attention to them and are also considered easier to remember. (Boerman et al. 2017) Consumers are more willing to accept OBA practices if they believe it could support them in pursuing their goals. OBA and the future Although e-commerce and the number of online purchases are increasing every year, there is still a lot of ambiguity regarding OBA, which needs to be addressed. Existing research is quite fragmented. There are several theories and models that have been used to explain the effects of online behavioral advertising. However, further examination needs to be carried out in order to establish a solid theoretical basis. Technological progress opens the door to new areas that require in-depth research. The words online can no longer be applied only to computers or cell phones. Almost daily, people hear about new technologies that make it possible to connect to the Internet or control other devices via smartphones (e.g. smart TV, smart watch, smart speakers). The development of these technologies represents a great opportunity for the world of marketing and advertising because, through the use of these devices, new possibilities for collecting information emerge. (Boerman et al. 2017) For example, smart TVs have built-in software called ACR (automatic content recognition) allowing companies to monitor which TV programs have been watched. Due to the use of multiple Internet-connected devices, the information collected may be used for advertising purposes not only on television, but also on the consumer's laptop, tablet or smartphone. Although there is an option to disable ACR, not all data collection can be stopped without disconnecting the device from the Internet. Additionally, many users are unaware of ACR and therefore do not try to limit tracking by turning it off. Nowadays, it is very demanding to navigate and follow the latest trends in the world of technology. The example mentioned above illustrates that this type of equipment not only has advantages but also disadvantages in that it allows for ingenious methods of data collection. It is therefore even more important to raise awareness of new online behavioral advertising techniques, so that consumers can decide for themselves whether they want to be tracked and benefit from all the benefits of these devices or whether they choose to use a limited version and do not have to worry about their privacy. Additionally, privacy legislation should be updated and adapted to new OBA practices, to ensure that consumer data is not stolen or misused. Boerman et al. (2017) suggest that more research on user responses to personalized advertisements should be conducted. The perception of OBA and its levels of customization differs from one user to another. Some consumers may enjoy the benefits of targeted advertising, while others may find it very intrusive. Further study of this issue could be beneficial to all parties involved. First, it could help advertisers better understand people's feelings about OBA, so they can improve their services. Second, consumers would have less reason to be afraid of using the Internet and would be more encouraged to :, 36(4), 632-658.

Essay / Effect of Online Behavioral Advertising on Consumers OBA on customersExogenous variablesEndogenous variablesOBA and the futureConclusionReferencesIntroductionA rapidly growing population Along with digitalization and globalization, the number of Internet users is constantly increasing. The expansion of e-commerce is closely linked to this development. Especially in times of isolation caused by the Corona crisis in which we are currently living, we spend much more time on the Internet than before, which seems to be a great opportunity for the growth of the online shopping sector. Lockdowns in countries around the world have had a significant influence on the number of online purchases. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayIn general, people are often irritated by online advertisements, and especially when they are irrelevant, they tend to avoid them. To increase the effectiveness of their marketing strategies, businesses choose to use different methods, including online behavioral advertising (OBA), also known as online targeting. This method targets consumers based on the personal information collected. However, to be effective, a high level of personalization is required, which can raise privacy concerns. Additionally, it can cause feelings of anxiety and fear. So far, various scandals related to the misuse of personal data collected on the Internet have been made public. For example, the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal of 2018, in which the company acquired the personal information of millions of Facebook users without any consent and used it for political advertising. This scandal proves that we need to be careful about our behavior online, as our personal data can be stolen and misused. The growing importance of the e-commerce sector and the scandals related to online marketing are the reasons why it is still relevant to discuss and investigate online behavioral advertising practices and their influence on consumers.Behavioral Advertising in online (OBA)Definition and mechanism of OBATo be able to understand the problem of online behavioral advertising, the real meaning of this term must first be clarified. There are several studies that aim to find definitions of OBA. Boerman et al. (2017) review the scientific literature on this topic and compare definitions from previous articles. According to their findings, they have two attributes in common. The first common feature is the observation of consumers' activities on the Internet through surveillance or tracking and the second is the application of the obtained information for individually designed advertisements. Based on this finding, Boerman et al. (2017) offer a definition that describes OBA as “the practice of monitoring people's online behavior and using the collected information to show people individually targeted information.” In other words, companies using online behavioral advertising detect and collect information about what people view, buy, watch, write, post or click on the Internet, so that they can improve the understanding of potential and actual customers and to offer them a servicequality and satisfy their needs more effectively through the distribution of personalized ads. The OBA mechanism can be illustrated with a Facebook example. Facebook, as the social network with the largest number of users, generates most of its revenue through advertising. (Facebook 2020) The network's developers have created trackers, which can collect information about users' browsing activities off and on Facebook and this information can later be used for advertising purposes. For example, if a user searches for a graphic design course on the Internet, Facebook can assess, based on the browsing history, that he is interested in graphic design and can therefore display an advertisement for this type of course on the site of the user. wall. Third-party cookies are the most widely used means of collecting personal information. After an agreement between the website and the data collection company, a cookie file is placed on users' computers, allowing third-party companies to monitor their online activities and use this data for behavioral advertising purposes by line. These files are often deleted without the consumers' permission or even awareness and that is why it can be perceived as a violation of privacy. Moreover, due to the constant advancements in the Internet world, it is very demanding to stop all tracking, because new ways of secretly collecting personal information appear very frequently. Recent technologies even make it possible to track consumers in real time. Technology has gotten to the point where it is possible to “create an online ad request when the consumer begins to load the web page, so that targeting can begin before the web page even loads.” » The extent of tracking differs from case to case depending on the needs of advertisers. In some cases a simple cookie is sufficient, in others complex profiling techniques must be applied. Comment from lenka: podobne originalu skus upraviť Comment from lenka: skus doplnit nieco o cookies Comment from lenka: skontroluj s originalom ci sa to privelmi nepodobaTheoretical backgroundOpinions on OBA practices are diverse. Some users benefit from personalized services while others may feel threatened. In the past, this diversity has been studied several times and, as online behavioral advertising is an interdisciplinary research topic, the range and variety of explanatory theories used are rather extensive. In previous studies of responses to OBA, scientists have worked with theories from marketing, psychology, and communication, but none of them are dominant or recurrent. The most cited theories are social contract theory, psychological reactance theory, and the knowledge model of persuasion. These theoretical concepts are used to clarify consumers' negative perceptions toward OBA practices. For example, when consumers give consent to the company to collect and use their personal data, a contract between the two parties is concluded. As part of this contract, people expect that the company will work with their information responsibly and if these expectations are not met by the advertiser, it could mean the breach of this contract and therefore the loss of trust. This can also happen in the case of covert data collection, where personal space is violated (social contract theory). Additionally, negative reactance can be induced through a high degree of personalization (psychological reactance theory). Furthermore, when peoplelearn more about OBA practices, feelings of skepticism may arise (persuasion knowledge model). According to the latter concept, an advertiser, as a persuasion agent, attempts to persuade/convince consumers, a target of persuasion, in a covert manner. This is later discovered and prompts users to interact with the ads. (Ham et al. 2017) looks in more detail at the knowledge model of persuasion and the theory of protection motivation. Framework To classify the results of previous OBA exams and gain a clearer overview of this topic, Varnali (2019) develops a framework dividing online behavioral advertising research into three levels. To be more precise, according to his findings, there are three perspectives when it comes to online targeting. First, a macro-level perspective, which focuses on legal issues related to OBA. Second, an ecosystem level perspective, which looks at the strategies used to optimize the OBA system, and a third perspective, which studies OBA on a single advertiser's campaign level. Macro-Level PerspectiveVarnali (2019) asserts that there are no virtual limits to the tracking, profiling, and targeting of individuals on the Internet. Until now, scientists have often devoted their research to the problem of finding the balance between the protection of the privacy of Internet users and the interests/benefits of advertisers and publishers. In this context, the term privacy-personalization paradox emerges, suggesting that better results can be achieved through greater ad relevance brought about by an increased level of personalization. However, further personalization can also be dangerous because it increases the risk of losing control over users' personal information. In many cases, data is collected without consumers' knowledge, often leading to privacy issues and ultimately leading to customer distrust and loss. Similar effects can be induced when companies indirectly force Internet users to accept targeting. So, when users want to read the content of a web page, they must first agree to the website's policies. In the literature, the ethics of OBA is frequently discussed, but due to the different interests of the parties involved, it is quite demanding to decide what is moral. and what is not. There are several regulations that attempt to manage and restrict unethical OBA behavior, but there are still some loopholes that allow advertisers to use deceptive methods and secretly obtain personal information about customers. customers. These gaps exist due to different definitions, interpretations, and approaches to OBA and privacy concerns. To illustrate this statement, Varnali (2019) gives an example of different meanings of the term consent. In some countries it is sufficient when it is informative or derivative while in others it must be given explicitly. In recent years, several institutions have decided to act in favor of protecting people's privacy. For example, in 2016 the European Union published the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) valid for all its member states. The regulation aims to improve the data protection of European citizens and contains answers to questions regarding the collection, use and storage of this data. (Council of the European Union 2015) Also in the United States, several initiatives have fought for the adoption of data protection laws. One of them is called the Do Not TrackAct. The purpose of this regulation is to define the rights of Internet users and the obligations of advertisers in terms of privacy. This legislation would also allow users to choose whether they want to be tracked or opt out. (US Senate 2019) Unfortunately, this initiative has still not been adopted and therefore only partial legislation exists in the United States (e.g. the California Consumer Privacy Act) which is only effective in certain US territories. After reviewing the literature relating to OBA, Varnali (2019) offers several topics discussed regarding privacy. These include user opt-in and opt-out options, routines to authorize targeting, effectiveness of disclosures, OBA icons and tools to control OBA, non-compliance with targeting in online and Internet privacy administration. . Furthermore, researchers have developed moral guidelines that should ensure the stabilization of the legal aspect of OBA and should be used simultaneously by advertisers, publishers and regulators. These guidelines include an honest, transparent and fair approach, data control, information protection and respect for stakeholder objectives. Ecosystem-level perspectiveWhen it comes to OBA practices, three actors (consumers, advertisers, and publishers) need to be distinguished and discussed. Publishers provide space to advertisers who compete for it in auctions, and after acquiring the space, the ads are displayed to consumers. (Chen and Stallaert 2014) This space can be used for OBA or traditional advertising and is usually achieved by placing cost-per-click auctions where the winning advertiser is chosen based on the best match between a user and an offer of an advertising company. Suitable ads are calculated using complex algorithms using information already collected about online activities. Studies from an ecosystem perspective investigate the impacts of targeting on the bottom line of advertising and publishing companies as well as the impacts on society. Research has shown that consumer and advertiser profits are directly proportional to the degree of personalization the media distributor decides to implement. Additionally, online targeting can help publishers double their revenue. However, in case of high competition and low advertiser estimates, revenue could decline. This means that top advertisers might have lower benefits than consumers and underage advertisers. (Chen and Stallaert 2014) Another difference in benefits can be observed regarding platforms. According to Gal-Or, Gal-Or, and Penmetsa (2018), this is due to the diversity of advertiser and user populations and their distinct targeting preferences. The amount of income is also affected by increased consumer control. Concretely, more control reduces the level of targeting differentiation and therefore leads to a reduction in advertising costs. In the case of symmetric pricing and a small number of competitors, revenue can be increased through targeting based on locations visited by consumers, but otherwise a competitor's response reduces profits. When discussing the ecosystem level, data brokerage companies cannot be omitted. These companies acquire consumers' personal data to trade or share it with other companies or individuals. Based on this information, personal profiles are developed and subsequently used by advertisers orother interested parties. This can be very problematic because users are often unaware that their personal data is being collected and exchanged and therefore cannot control the use of this data. It is also important to mention the difference between the macro level and the ecosystem level. While macro-level forward-looking research findings suggest an increase in customer control, ecosystem-level examination has highlighted that greater control leads to decreased player revenue. This may be one argument as to why progress on increased consumer control in online behavioral targeting is so slow. Campaign-Level PerspectiveThe campaign-level perspective looks at the question of how to gain consumer acceptance of OBA practices and how to use these practices effectively while reducing privacy concerns. According to Varnali (2019), in studies carried out at the campaign level, there are exogenous variables (user characteristics when viewing advertising, aspects regulated by advertising agencies) and endogenous variables (emotions and user perceptions of advertising, monitored user online activities). behavior and goals). Influence of OBA on CustomersExogenous VariablesTo understand the influence of OBA on consumers, the exogenous and endogenous variables mentioned above need to be discussed and explained. Communication design as an exogenous variable plays a very important role in terms of OBA effects and has been the subject of several studies in the past. Varnali (2019) recalls the results of numerous studies that have studied this subject. For example, Goldfarb and Tucker (2011) studied the effects of advertising content on consumers regarding online behavioral advertising and came to the conclusion that if advertisements tailored to the content of the web page are used, the intention to purchase increases. The same goes for an increase in the intrusiveness of an advertisement. However, combined, the strategies are not effective. Another important influencing factor is personalization. As mentioned earlier, this can help advertisers offer better services, but at the same time, it can be a source of concerns regarding privacy security. The degree of personalization depends on the amount and type of data used (e.g. age, education, browsing history). The scientists combined some of these types of data and their results indicate that the level of personalization can impact feelings of intrusion, vulnerability, perceived usefulness, privacy concerns and reactance. Negative attitudes related to high levels of personalization can be explained by the fact that personalized advertisements can generate feelings of powerlessness regarding possession, control and freedom of choice of information. (Boerman et al. 2017) Furthermore, scientists revealed that the high level of personalization is often perceived as intrusive and this can lead to a negative change in purchase intention and not changing even after offering discounts. (Varnali 2019) These negative perceptions can be mitigated by advertising tailored to user needs. (Van Doorn and Hoekstra 2013) Ad avoidance is lower when users perceive that ads are designed specifically for them. Bleier and Eisenbeiss (2015a) proposed a concept composed of two dimensions of personalized advertising. These dimensions serve to show accuracy (depth of personalization) and fullness (breath ofpersonalization) of user interests displayed through actual advertisements. Among retailers considered more trustworthy, the perceived usefulness of advertising may be high without negatively impacting consumers and their privacy concerns when they decide to apply narrow scope and high depth. Retailers, who are considered less trustworthy, should not resort to deeper personalization, as this can negatively impact reactance and privacy issues. Lenka's comment: así treba doplniť aj dalsieho autoraTo create more trust between businesses and consumers, the use of a “privacy trust mark” is suggested. The application of this sign would mean that the visited site participates in an initiative focused on the protection of privacy. This could induce a sense of trust and improve consumers' attitudes towards OBA. (Stanaland et al. 2011) Lenka's comment: je to priama citacia ak ano dopln autora Lenka's comment: prebrate z boerman skantroluj povodny text porovnaj ho a pripadne prepis a uprav autoraBleier and Eisenbeiss (2015b) assert that the interaction between timing and placement may impact the effectiveness of banner ad content personalization. Based on the results of their research, they made three observations. Looking at the high level of content personalization, the best effectiveness is achieved at the time of visiting the e-commerce site and it decreases rapidly with time. Less personalized ads are less effective, but they manage to outperform, due to their persistence. How informative and intrusive advertisements are perceived depends on the browsing experience and user goals. Additionally, Huang (2018) also shows that ad placement can influence OBA. According to his study, banners placed closer to articles with related content received more attention than sidebar ads. Click-through rates, brand consideration, and purchase intentions can increase if ads match the consumer's cognitive styles, stage of the purchasing process, and body preferences. (Urban et al. 2013) A study by Bruce, Murthi, and Rao (2017) implies that dynamic ads have a greater impact on postponement rates than static formats. The scientists also revealed that there is a positive impact on OBA if the advertising content includes information about the price of the product. Low click-through rates due to less diverse campaigns, brands spending more on advertising, or companies that sell hard goods, can be caused by a high degree of ad frequency and recency. It is also important to consider the impact of collecting information from consumers on the acceptance and effectiveness of online behavioral advertising. Miyazaki (2008) asserts that negative perceptions regarding cookies can be reduced by prior disclosure of cookies. Consumer perceptions of OBA risks may be affected by the extent to which the advertiser shares personal data with third parties (Jai et al. 2013). Serving personalized ads and avoiding sharing personal information can alleviate users' privacy concerns. (Sutanto et al. 2013) Covert information collection can also negatively influence the perception of personalized advertisements. Aguirre et al (2015) revealed that overt accumulation of data isperceived more positively and can lead to higher click-through rates. In addition, thanks to the addition of the OBA sign, the difference between these methods of collecting information was reduced and the intentions of clicking on advertising became equal. This finding suggests that the OBA symbol has positive effects not only on the perception of the advertisement but also on the brand itself. (Van Noort et al. 2013) However, it is important to mention that the use of this sign is only profitable for advertising agencies. For users, this can be rather misleading, as it will not help them make reasonable choices when it comes to online targeting. (Boerman et al. 2017) Increased control over personal data can drive interest in clicking on ads. (Tucker 2014) In Varnali's (2019) study, three types of consumer characteristics are distinguished. Inherent characteristics, which represent demographic information and psychological characteristics of consumers (e.g., age, education, nationality, privacy concerns, openness regarding information sharing), perceptual characteristics, which are based on experiences, prior beliefs or needs of the consumer (e.g., consumer attitude). and perception towards brands, OBA), spatio-temporal characteristics, representing the conditions in which consumers find themselves when an advertisement is displayed (for example, navigation conditions). Endogenous variables These variables, coming directly from consumers, are perceptions, gratifications and behavioral intentions. According to Ham (2017), online behavioral advertising risks caused by less information and entertainment can negatively impact OBA perception. In this context another important term emerges, namely perceived benefit, which represents the potential profit of consumers after taking into account possible risks. To explain how to evaluate benefits and risks, the term privacy calculation is frequently used. It is based on the theory of social exchange and the theory of utility of acquisitions and transactions. (Boerman et al. 2017) According to the first theory, people participate in social exchanges after considering the advantages and disadvantages. Based on this assessment, they adjust their behavior and only exchange socially if they perceive more benefits than risks. (Schumann et al. 2014) The second theory proposes that there is a dependence between the probability of purchase intention and the comparison of possible benefits and risks. (Baek and Morimoto 2012) In reality, it is quite difficult to evaluate the perceived benefits, because people often need to find the necessary information very quickly and therefore do not have enough time to consider the real benefits and harms of their decisions by clicking. Another theory mentioned regarding perceived benefits is the information frontier theory, which implies that the disadvantages associated with OBA outweigh its benefits, because online targeting is perceived as an invasion of personal space. (Boerman et al. 2017) A study by Ham (2017) suggests that the context of the advertisement also plays a significant role in assessing the potential risks and benefits of OBA. People are more open to the risk of unwanted collection of personal data on Facebook rather than through OBA, because they believe that being on Facebook brings more advantages than disadvantages. Dehling et al. (2019) created a model that describes the relationships between OBA awareness, knowledge, attitude, acceptance, and dissonance. According to this model, consciousness andOBA knowledge is formed by continuous advertising confrontation. If the degree of consciousness increases, it also means that the amount of knowledge increases. On the other hand, a higher degree of knowledge does not mean greater awareness. Depending on the levels of these two factors, the consumer's attitude towards OBA also changes. As Estrada-Jimenez et al (2017) indicate, there are four types of these attitudes (negative, positive, indifferent, ambivalent). The type of attitude depends on the number of benefits and concerns perceived by consumers. For example, a high level of perceived benefits and a low level of concern mean that the consumer's attitude is quite positive. Many concerns may prompt consumers to take further steps to protect their own privacy (for example, installing software used to avoid online tracking). This behavior can be explained by the stimulus-organism-response model, which suggests that stimulation affects a person's cognitive and emotional reactions and therefore reflects on their subsequent actions. Boerman et al. (2017) propose that protection motivation theory and the extended parallel processing model can also be used to understand consumers' negative feelings toward OBA. An inappropriate invasion of consumer privacy can be perceived as a threat. People's motivations to take new actions against this scourge depend on the perceived levels of threat and effectiveness. Simply put, the higher these levels are, the more motivated users feel. The results of this research also show that consumer attitudes do not continually change. Consumers act rather passively. When needed, they evaluate the situation they are currently in and decide if they are ready to accept it. Overall, the majority of people don't feel the need to worry about targeted advertising. By being confronted with this type of advertising, consumers, more aware of OBA and better informed, feel more secure. Conversely, people who are less informed and less aware tend to react overly sensitively or show almost no signs of caring. Better-informed people also tend to underestimate the effects of online behavioral advertising on themselves, which could negatively influence their decision-making. (Boerman et al. 2017) The more efforts affected users make to protect their privacy. (Smit et al. 2014) However, these efforts can often be insufficient. There are several ways to regulate OBA (e.g. delete, block cookies), but not all of them are capable of completely limiting it. (Boerman et al. 2017) Based on these facts, it can be assumed that users wishing to protect themselves against OBA must not only be well-informed about OBA practices, but must also possess higher-level IT skills. In this article, scientists also express the opinion that having fundamental information about OBA can enable users to become more involved in protecting their privacy with regard to Internet advertising. The authors of this article also confirmed that consumers want more information and control over OBA. In addition, they want more relevance and diversity in the content advertised. Excessive repetition and lack of relevance in advertising content can lead to embarrassment and negative attitude change. A clear explanation of ad adaptation methods couldconstitute a reasonable approach to alleviating customer concerns. A request was also expressed for the creation of new means of information and monitoring of consumers. Transparency in tracking methods could build trust between advertisers and consumers, as it could help the latter get rid of the idea that advertisers are trying to manipulate them and that they have something deceptive to hide. (Dehling et al. 2019) For many users, transparency seems to be the right way to deal with privacy issues, but it remains very problematic due to the large amount of information, which needs to be studied to understand what are the website policies. (Varnali 2019) Furthermore, due to incessant technological advancement, it is even more difficult to navigate the opt-out possibilities. To alleviate privacy concerns, advertising companies should make these options more explicit so that consumers are more aware that they can decide for themselves whether they want to be tracked. This measure could encourage consumers to take control of their data and, therefore, help reduce advertising evasion. Negative experiences with online targeting can turn into feelings of disbelief and, in the long run, have a negative impact on advertising in general. (Ham et al. 2017) Lenka's comment: dopis a over zdroj asi dehling ale skontroluj Lenka's comment: how consumers are informed and how they react. Since each person has individual needs, wants, and perceptions, it makes sense that users act differently when it comes to OBA. In order to be able to regulate data collection according to individual preferences, the content and display of privacy statements should be discussed. These statements serve to inform users about the type of information collected and how and why it is collected. (Boerman et al. 2017) Although scientists claim that these statements should reduce the information imbalance between users and advertisers, this effort often fails, because in most cases consumers ignore reading these texts. (McDonald and Cranor 2008) The formulations used are often very long, complicated and difficult to understand. Consumers often tend to accept websites' privacy and cookie policies because they realize that they have no other options if they want website content to be displayed. After agreeing to these policies, they understand that their personal information is used when personalized advertisements appear. (Dehling 2019) As claimed by Boerman et al. (2017), offering users the ability to decide whether or not they want to be tracked appears to be the right way to give consumers more freedom and control. However, the text mentioned above confirms that this approach is not entirely ideal and often fails to achieve its objective, due to the different interests of the parties involved. There is also another way to inform users about the collection and use of their data. Likewise, like the privacy statements, the disclosure of cookies aims to bring more transparency to the OBA's processes. In practice, several disclosure display methods have been used (e.g., pop-ups, banners). To raise consumer awareness about disclosures, the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance and the American Digital Advertising Alliance created a unifying icon consisting of a blue triangle with theletter I. (Boerman et al 2017) Scientific research results have shown that this effort is rather ineffective because users are not well informed about the meaning and purpose of this sign and tend to ignore it. (Ur et al. 2012, Van Noort et al. 2013) Van Noort et al. (2013) also suggest that an additional sentence containing the information that the advertisement is based on consumers' online behavior could provide more understanding around OBA. Several studies suggest that Internet users understand OBA quite poorly. (Marreiros et al. 2015; McDonald and Cranor 2010; Smit et al. 2014) Most users do not understand how data collection works or how it is shared and distributed to third parties. (McDonald and Cranor 2010) In general, people perceive OBA practice rather negatively. Personalized ads are considered invasive and symbolize the violation of personal space. Phélan et al. (2016) explain these negative perceptions on the theory of social presence. When it comes to online behavioral advertising, this means that collecting personal information could cause the same feeling of being watched over one's shoulder. (Boerman et al. 2017) Users who realize that they are actually being tracked tend to adapt their online behavior to the situation. (McDonald and Cranor 2010) Turrow et al. (2009) argue that user age is another factor that influences how behavioral targeting is perceived. After observing younger and older users, they concluded that younger people are more willing to accept OBA, even if they also don't want to be tracked. The degree of ad personalization impacts the intent to click on ad content. (Boerman et al. 2017) In the study by Boerman et al. (2017), several scientific discoveries related to this topic are mentioned. For example, ads based on the user's background generate fewer clicks than those based on the user's interests. (Tucker 2014) In addition, they also generate more clicks compared to advertisements that are not personalized or on the contrary have high levels of personalization and consist of basic personal data. (Aguirre et al. 2015) Additionally, ads displaying shopping cart contents from a previous visit to a website have a more positive influence on click-through rates than less personalized ads that display only recently viewed products. (Bleier and Eisenbeiss 2015) As an example of the effects of online behavioral advertising on purchasing decisions, we can cite a study conducted by Lambrecht and Tucker (2013). (Boerman et al. 2017) Their research results indicate that purchase intention is determined by the type of advertising in combination with the phase of the purchase decision. Users with a narrow range of preferences in a later stage were more affected by OBA than those with undefined ideas in earlier stages. The researchers also examined and compared consumers' perceptions of the justification for data collection and inferred that people are more willing to accept the fact that they can visit the website in exchange for their personal data (argument of reciprocity) rather than the fact that it is essential to make advertising content more relevant (relevance argument). (Schumann et al. 2014) If advertisers want to succeed in their OBA practices, they should also try to learn more about why users are online. According to the interactive advertising model (Rogers and Thorson 2000), advertisements that respond tothese motivations may perform better because consumers tend to pay more attention to them and are also considered easier to remember. (Boerman et al. 2017) Consumers are more willing to accept OBA practices if they believe it could support them in pursuing their goals. OBA and the future Although e-commerce and the number of online purchases are increasing every year, there is still a lot of ambiguity regarding OBA, which needs to be addressed. Existing research is quite fragmented. There are several theories and models that have been used to explain the effects of online behavioral advertising. However, further examination needs to be carried out in order to establish a solid theoretical basis. Technological progress opens the door to new areas that require in-depth research. The words online can no longer be applied only to computers or cell phones. Almost daily, people hear about new technologies that make it possible to connect to the Internet or control other devices via smartphones (e.g. smart TV, smart watch, smart speakers). The development of these technologies represents a great opportunity for the world of marketing and advertising because, through the use of these devices, new possibilities for collecting information emerge. (Boerman et al. 2017) For example, smart TVs have built-in software called ACR (automatic content recognition) allowing companies to monitor which TV programs have been watched. Due to the use of multiple Internet-connected devices, the information collected may be used for advertising purposes not only on television, but also on the consumer's laptop, tablet or smartphone. Although there is an option to disable ACR, not all data collection can be stopped without disconnecting the device from the Internet. Additionally, many users are unaware of ACR and therefore do not try to limit tracking by turning it off. Nowadays, it is very demanding to navigate and follow the latest trends in the world of technology. The example mentioned above illustrates that this type of equipment not only has advantages but also disadvantages in that it allows for ingenious methods of data collection. It is therefore even more important to raise awareness of new online behavioral advertising techniques, so that consumers can decide for themselves whether they want to be tracked and benefit from all the benefits of these devices or whether they choose to use a limited version and do not have to worry about their privacy. Additionally, privacy legislation should be updated and adapted to new OBA practices, to ensure that consumer data is not stolen or misused. Boerman et al. (2017) suggest that more research on user responses to personalized advertisements should be conducted. The perception of OBA and its levels of customization differs from one user to another. Some consumers may enjoy the benefits of targeted advertising, while others may find it very intrusive. Further study of this issue could be beneficial to all parties involved. First, it could help advertisers better understand people's feelings about OBA, so they can improve their services. Second, consumers would have less reason to be afraid of using the Internet and would be more encouraged to :, 36(4), 632-658.

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