INFURIATED YouTube viewers have voiced frustration with yet another change to the popular video-sharing website.
Google, who own the widely popular platform, has now started showing adverts whenever a video is paused – having announced plans to do so in May.
The new ad format only appears when watching on TV for the moment but it’s been enough to cause outrage among users.
It’s one of YouTube‘s latest change to ads, having previously clamped down on viewers downloading adblockers.
Images show the advertisement in the right side of the screen dubbed an “ad corner”, with the paused video being minimised.
Information and a “dismiss” button appear alongside the promotional graphic.
Anybody seeking an ad-free experience must purchase YouTube Premium, which costs at least £12 / $14 per month.
“I am about to install a computer in place of the fire stick so I can have an ad blocker… Your ads are getting ridiculous.” remarked one X/Twitter user, even stating that network television had a better ad to content ratio.
“As if 40 second unskippable ads weren’t enough,” one Reddit user replied.
“It will only get worse and not better,” a fellow commentor lamented.
However, some comments were less heated, with one individual recognising that similar advertisements exist “on every platform, not just YouTube”.
In the past, users have complained over the overabundance of ads on the site, with this latest modification likely to raise similar sentiments.
Despite this backlash, YouTube’s widespread popularity (currently having 2.49 billion monthly active users) despite continuing to increase advertisements means it remains to be seen as to whether they listen to their online critics.
As 9to5Google reports, YouTube is also working on longer unskippable ads and advertiser-branded QR codes.
2007: Despite being founded two years prior, YouTube begin running in-video ads two years later.
2008: YouTube introduce preroll ads in 2008.
2010: YouTube introduces TrueView skippable ads.
2015: YouTube introduces Masthead, an ad that plays for 24 hours and gets displayed on the top of YouTube’s homepage.
2016: YouTube introduces 6-second bumper ads, unskippable ads that play before video content begins.
2018: Outstream Ads are launched, as a type of ad format that can be displayed on any external website.
2020: YouTube enable ads on all content, even if the creator doesn’t want them.
