As an industry association, the GSMA does not get involved in the negotiation of commercial agreements between operators and third parties, as this would violate competition law. Further, the GSMA is not actively involved in any projects concerning the development or implementation of online ad blocking software.

From an industry perspective, we agree that mobile is becoming an increasingly powerful platform for businesses to communicate with their target audience and we note the significant increase in the volume and sophistication of online advertising that consumers are being exposed to. Sometimes this advertising is welcomed by consumers, sometimes not and consumers are not always aware of the impact multimedia adverts can have on data allowances. The GSMA supports initiatives that provide consumers with more transparency and control over the privacy of their personal data and our “Privacy Guidelines for Mobile Application Development” includes detail on incorporating mobile advertising within apps.