Ugh, unskippable ads? Instagram might test your patience.
Some users have reported seeing unskippable ads while scrolling their feeds. Instagram confirmed they’re testing a feature that limits ad-skipping.
A new feature in beta testing might disrupt your flow.
According to a Reddit post, Instagram is trying out “ad breaks.” This feature supposedly affects both stories and regular posts. The user even shared a screenshot of it in action!
Here’s the gist: while scrolling through your feed, you might hit a sudden roadblock. Your feed just…stops. Don’t panic! This is where the “ad break” notification pops up.
During this “ad break,” scrolling up or down won’t take you to new content. Instead, you’ll have to find an actual ad.
Once you locate your “ad jail,” a 6-second timer starts, forcing you to watch the entire ad.
The Reddit user isn’t a fan, to say the least. They point out that Instagram already has a decent amount of ads, and this feels excessive. They argue that YouTube ads, while annoying, at least come before the content you want to watch.
The post ends with a thought-provoking question: Is this “ad break” feature worth the risk of further reducing user attention spans already strained by fast scrolling and the constant dopamine hits of social media?
The Reddit user raises some valid concerns:
- Reels are lightning-fast. Imagine getting hit with an ad every 4-5 Reels! This would seriously disrupt the smooth scrolling experience Instagram is known for.
- Content creators beware! Frequent ad breaks could lead to a drop in viewership, frustrating both creators and viewers.
The YouTube struggle is real.
Remember the adblocker wars? YouTube cracked down hard, initially with polite requests to disable them. But things escalated to ads blocking videos, forcing users to choose between ads and their favorite content. This whole situation left a bad taste in many mouths.
The Reddit post cleverly compares the potential “ad break” frustration on Instagram to the past struggles with YouTube ad blockers. It highlights the risk of pushing users towards similar workarounds to avoid these forced ad breaks.
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YouTube and ad blockers: The plot thickens!
This week, a new wrinkle emerged in the ongoing battle between YouTube and ad blockers. Many users with ad blockers are experiencing a strange glitch: videos jump straight to the end, no matter if they’re starting fresh or trying to replay.
Interestingly, this issue seems to be specific to ad blocker users. Disabling the ad blocker makes the videos play normally, suggesting a connection between the two.
