Unskippable ads are a growing threat on smartphones and streaming devices, and if you thought Instagram was safe, think again. The social media giant just confirmed that it's testing YouTube-style ad breaks that you can't skip.
In recent days, some horrified Instagram users (like @TheDanLevy below) have posted screenshots showing a pop-up called 'Ad Break' with a countdown timer (like the one below). And unlike typical Instagram ads, these can't be scrolled or swiped – you have to wait until the ad ends.
Unfortunately, these are unlikely to be isolated cases. Instagram has now confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch that it is testing the new format ahead of a possible wider rollout. “We are always testing formats that can generate value for advertisers,” said a Meta spokesperson.
We don't know yet what Meta's implementation plan is for the 'Ad Break' feature, but it doesn't sound good. “As we test and learn, we will provide updates should this testing result in any formal changes to the product,” the spokesperson worriedly added.
My God! Meta apparently now forces us to see ads on our Instagram feeds! The legitimate app prevented me from going through this ad, which is just crazy to me. pic.twitter.com/740EXjGyl2June 1, 2024
A post on Reddit's Instagram subreddit shed more light on Meta's new plan. Apparently, when you click on an info icon in an ad, she says, “You're watching an ad break. Ad breaks are a new way to view ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to see an ad before continuing browsing.”
That doesn't seem like a feature meant to remain an experiment among a minority of Instagram users. Judging by the initial reaction on social media, it could be the final push some need to abandon the increasingly diluted and confusing social media platform.
Sign of the times
Bringing unskippable ads to Instagram somehow feels like crossing a line compared to watching them on sites like YouTube.
If you watch YouTube on your smart TV, you may have noticed that commercial breaks have gotten longer over the last year. YouTube launched what it calls “no 30-second skips” on its most popular channels in May 2023 and even began testing pause-screen ads.
However, short ones aside, most YouTube videos are longer than Instagram Stories and some people are still on Instagram to (gasp) see photos. The unskippable ads tested by Instagram may have lasted only a few seconds, but they are actually a takeover of your smartphone screen when you're in the app, and it remains to be seen if they will actually improve results. Instagram.
As noted by the BBC, a recent TikTok study suggests that unskippable ads can be a drain on engagement, making them a net negative for social media platforms. Let's hope that's the case again here; Otherwise, we'll really have to abandon ship in search of the best Instagram alternatives (something we've been promising to do since, oh, at least 2021).
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