Rzeczpospolita daily asks whether the ‘runaway’ banner adverts displayed on the Internet violate the law.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) is investigating the case, having documented several types of online campaigns that are considered a bother.

“We are concerned with the pop-up windows that cannot be closed because they do not have an ‘X’ or it is always elusive and disappears,” stated Lukasz Wrosnki, UOKiK spokesperson.

The decision on such irksome practices is to be made by the fall. The biggest consequences the advertisers could face are a fine amounting to ten percent of revenue generated by the company last year, although the penalties are unlikely to be this severe. Nonetheless, even the mildest punishment could be a step towards more civilized advertising on the Internet, claims Rzeczpospolita. (ab/mmj)