Yes, ad blockers are legal in Chile, but their use is constrained by consumer protection and competition laws enforced by the National Consumer Service (SERNAC) and the Competition Tribunal (TDLC). While no statute explicitly bans ad blockers, courts have ruled that circumvention of digital advertising may violate fair competition principles if it disrupts publisher revenue streams without user consent.
Key Regulations for Ad Blockers in Chile
- Consumer Protection Law (Law 19.496): SERNAC monitors deceptive practices; ad blockers that mislead users about their functionality or data collection may trigger sanctions under Article 20.
- Competition Law (Decree Law 211): The TDLC has intervened in cases where ad blocking tools were deployed to harm competitors’ business models, citing potential abuse of dominance under Article 3.
- Data Privacy (Law 19.628): Ad blockers collecting user data without disclosure may violate privacy norms, as the 2026 draft amendments to the law strengthen consent requirements for tracking technologies.
Publishers have pursued legal action against ad blocker developers, but Chilean courts have not issued blanket prohibitions. Instead, they assess whether the tool’s deployment aligns with proportionality and transparency standards. SERNAC’s 2024 guidelines on digital advertising ethics further caution against ad blockers that obscure mandatory disclosures or alter contractual terms between users and platforms. Compliance hinges on avoiding anti-competitive effects or consumer deception.