How risky are modern ads for malware?

I get being cautious, but modern ads are typically safe to click. If you've got security updates installed on your Android, you should be good. Just keep an eye on suspicious activities.

Generally, just clicking on an ad won't lead to malware, especially on mobile devices like Android or iOS. As long as you didn’t download anything or enable settings that allow for unknown sources, you should be fine. Even downloads would need to be specifically from an APK to pose a risk, which is unlikely just from clicking an ad.

You shouldn't be too worried about malware on mobile. If you want to be extra cautious, you can clear your browser's cache and cookies. But honestly, it’s mostly not a concern. Modern mobile security is pretty robust.