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Previous KDnuggets Poll asked: Targeted on-line advertising or behavioral targeting involves tracking consumers (usually across multiple sites) and is used by many on-line companies today giving higher click rate. However, a recent UPenn Study study found that most consumers are opposed to targeted on-line advertising. Your opinion?

The largest group - 41% went with the middle option:

Behavioral targeting can be restricted but still be effective

21% thought that Behavioral targeting is an invasion of privacy and should be outlawed,

while 25% thought that Behavioral targeting works well and should not be tampered with.

Here are the results of KDnuggets 2009 Poll: Behavioral targeting - effective or evil?

I agree with reader "Tom" that poll phrasing can be improved, but my goal was to highlight the tension between the widespread use and reported effectiveness of BT (and yes, it is frequently done across multiple sites or subdomains) and the public dislike of BT as a potential or actual invasion of privacy.