YouTube is about to make even longer and unskippable Ads for non-Premium users on TV
YouTube is rolling out new longer 30-second unskippable ads for people watching through its app on smart TVs and streaming devices. The change doesn't seem to affect viewers on phones or computers for now, but some ads that were previously skippable after a few seconds on TV will now play in full, and the only way to avoid them entirely is through YouTube Premium, making the experience notably worse for free users.
Google says its AI will decide which ad format to show based on the campaign and audience, choosing between 6 second bumper ads, 15 second standard ads, and the new 30 second unskippable version. The company is framing the update around YouTube’s fast growth on television screens and the way more people are using the platform like traditional TV.
Google also argues that TV viewers are more receptive to longer ads because they tend to watch in a more relaxed living room setting, so it technically feels more like standard television ad breaks. For viewers, though, it likely means longer interruptions and more pressure to subscribe to Premium, especially its recently expanded YouTube Lite tier. If only there were some alternative 😗
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Related news
External links
- VRC Non-Skip Ads reach general availabilityGoogle • Official source
- YouTube launches 30-second TV ads – what will you do?9to5Google
- YouTube on TV becomes insufferable with new unskippable 30-second adsAndroid Authority
- YouTube ads are about to get even longer and they’ll be unskippableDexerto
- YouTube Just Made Your TV Experience Worse On PurposeBGR
Comments
I really hate that amidst this enshittification, they have hired a team that constantly change and break the APIs, to inconvenience users and developers of 3rd party youtube clients like Freetube, Newpipe etc.
cough newpipe cough I mean ok for creaters to be monetarized but let me just donate to that specific creator then, without annoying ads ffs.
I guess I'm keeping Premium then...
Sorry Gulag / Screwtoob, ads are one of the main reasons that I've all but stopped watching TV. And that came long before they became data collection (spyware) devices. I will NEVER connect one directly to the internet. Especially not just to see more f'n ads!
With the amount of ads being pushed (as well as their lengths, for some), YouTube's ad revenue surpasses that of Disney, Paramount, and WBD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xab9nkqB8w8 And this greed isn't gonna stop from here. How menacing of YouTube to focus purely on revenue than improving user experience.
Keep using
Invidious and other privacy-focused/ad-free frontends & privacy tools while you still can, folks.
I understand that YouTube must advertise, but YouTube ads, like any internet ads, are way more annoying and frustrating than ads on regular TV. Maybe because regular TV ads are more regulated?
Ads are regulated on regulated on TV? Huh. That's news to me.
They take up ~20 minutes of a 60 minute time slot, which is ridiculous. And most of the ads, at least on broadcast TV, seem to either be pushing big pharma products, or from law firms trying to make money on some product (usually also from big pharma) that has made people sick, or worse.
Ads on TV have some regulation. Like in 60-min programs, ads should not be more than 22 min. Also, I remember alcohol- or sex-related ads can be done only at certain times. There is also an Ad Council organization that manages ad portfolios and bans certain ads on TV and radio. I am not a big fan of pharma ads on TV. Their products have to be marketed, but they should be marketed to doctors and hospitals who know better and read medical studies, not potential patients. But recently, gambling ads became the worst.
This is sick. We really need a good alternative! Pitty that google become monopoly in bad way like MS in the past.