CNIL survey explores consumer attitudes to Consent or Pay
29/10/2025 | French DPA
A survey commissioned by the French data protection authority, the CNIL, examined French citizens' willingness to pay for online services to avoid targeted advertising, offering insight into the evolving Consent or Pay business models of digital services. The online poll, conducted in December 2024 on a representative sample of 2,082 people, confirms the increasing adoption of paid subscriptions but reveals that this is not yet the preferred choice for all services.
The survey found that 56% of French people already pay for a video-on-demand subscription, at an average of €20 per month. This proportion drops to 27% for audio services and 18% for video games. For other services, including social media, generative AI, online news, and health tracking, the proportion of current subscribers does not exceed 10%.
However, the survey indicates a shift in the monetisation of digital services. Between 25% and 48% of internet users would be willing to switch from a free, ad-supported model to a paid subscription free of targeted advertising. On average, these individuals would pay a monthly fee ranging from €5.50 to €9, depending on the service. For social networks, 72% of people willing to pay would offer less than €5, though 18-24 year olds and existing paid subscribers are willing to pay more for an ad-free version.
The CNIL concludes that the findings demonstrate French users place a high value on personal data protection. Over half of respondents, 51%, consider data protection to be one of the top three most important criteria when choosing a digital service. Furthermore, 64% of respondents say they monitor their browsing data, with this proportion rising to 71% among 15-34 year olds.
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