- author, Lev McMahon
- Role, Technology reporter
Instagram is testing ads that users can’t skip.
The social media platform currently allows people to swipe or swipe through ads that appear in its main feed of photos and videos, as well as in the feeds of stories and clips.
But it is now trialling a feature called “ad break”, which users say they can’t skip as usual.
Images shared online show a timer, counting down to zero before resuming normal functions.
“Sometimes you may need to watch an ad before you can continue browsing,” the Meta-owned platform tells those who click for more information.
Instagram confirmed to the BBC that the trial is ongoing.
“We are always testing formats that can bring value to advertisers,” she said in a statement, adding that she would provide further updates if testing leads to permanent changes to the format.
In a later statement, Meta said it was “always experimenting with new advertising products and solutions that align with evolving consumer trends and business needs.”
“advertising dollars”
It remains to be seen whether the experience will satisfy advertisers, but it certainly does not appear to have been well received by users.
One person on topics Named The move is “crazy” – adding that it “seems like an aggressively opportunistic move to gain more ad dollars for Meta.”
Others raised the possibility of a boycott of the platform.
“We simply won’t pass.” He said One X user (formerly Twitter).
Meta isn’t the first big tech company to force people to watch ads.
YouTube is known for showing non-skippable ads to users watching videos on its platform or TV app who don’t pay for the premium ad-free tier.
Advertisers can target YouTube viewers with 15- to 30-second, non-skippable promotional videos that appear before, during, or after other videos if they want people to watch their entire message.
They can also advertise with similar non-skippable “bumper ads” — shorter videos of up to six seconds — on YouTube videos.
Some users have responded by turning to ad blockers and browser extensions as a way to get around ads that interrupt videos on the platform.
Google, YouTube’s parent company, is also trying to crack down on ad blockers.
However, it’s not clear whether forcing users to see more ads actually helps companies’ bottom lines.
a Study conducted by TikTokpublished in January, suggested that forcing viewers to watch ads may actually lead to less engagement.
More than 70% of respondents said they were more likely to engage with an ad experience if there was an option to skip it.
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