Almost half of Australians find advertisements on social media platforms “creepy”, with consumers turning off the big social networks including Meta’s Facebook, Google, and the likes of Instagram and Tik Tok a new research study claim.

A study from advertising tech outfit The Trade Desk has revealed increasing scepticism of how Meta and other tech companies harvest personal data.

Ironically, the research is being highlighted by media Companies who are in a fight with Meta over payments for news streaming, after the US conglomerate said that they were not stumping up any more money for news stories.

Trade Desk have not revealed the questions that solicitated answers or who paid for the research.

BELGRADE – JULY 11, 2014 Popular social media icons facebook google plus and other on smart phone screen close up

The Australia is pointing out that Meta – which has a market value of A$1.93 trillion – monitors users’ online activity to deliver personalised advertisements on its platforms, this is the same practise adopted by Google and other social media Companies with the issue not isolated to just one questionable social media Company.

Recently Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fining Meta $647.3m after finding that the company violated EU privacy laws by saying such ads are necessary to execute contracts with users.

Meta is appealing the ruling.

James Bayes, general manager of The Trade Desk Australia and New Zealand, said Australian consumers are getting increasingly disgruntled as we head into a more privacy-conscious era.

The research dished up by Trade Desk delivers information that is not new.

He said the company’s research highlighted a concerning lack of trust about online data collection and that was now affecting the reputation of companies who advertise on social media platforms.

“The reality is consumer behaviour has changed, expectations from consumers have changed – they’ve levelled up – and the industry needs to meet consumers at that point and move quickly to that point,” Mr Bayes said.

Trade Desk’s research found 46 per cent of Australians find personalised ads on social media creepy and too personal, while about 50 per cent believe that social media ads are “listening” to them, resulting in users moving to and prioritising other online spaces – also known as “the open internet”, which includes news, websites, blogs, video and music streaming service.