Instagram Is Now Testing Non-Skippable Ads & Obviously, No One Likes It
Users will see a timed countdown that has to finish before they can continue scrolling.
Instagram has confirmed it is now testing advertisements that cannot be skipped
Known as 'ad breaks', they pause your scrolling for a short video ad in the main Instagram feed. Users can't skip these ads and must wait a few seconds before continuing, reported TechCrunch.
Several users on X and Reddit have already begun seeing the test.
According to these users, if you click on the info icon, it says:
"You're seeing an ad break. Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing."
Image via @TheDanLevy (X)
As one might expect, people aren't thrilled about the new feature because, let's face it, who likes being forced to see an ad?
Several shared that they immediately close the app as soon as they see an ad now, while others have opted for YouTube Shorts instead.
While short-form ads aren't new in the industry, with YouTube and TikTok also utilising them, one person explained that this decision may backfire, given Instagram's widespread use of 'soft ads' to generate revenue.
"The whole platform is already basically 'soft ads' that generate revenue based on people being on there for ages, consuming content without thinking too much about it all, and now they're forcing users to stop scrolling and drawing attention to the fact they're on an app designed to sell them things," they wrote.
Image via The Verge
"We're always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers," a Meta company spokesperson told TechCrunch
"As we test and learn, we will provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes," they noted.
Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has declined to answer whether the ad breaks will be tested globally. For now, the ad format appears to only be tested among a handful of users.
What do you think about the new Instagram feature? Let us know your thoughts.
WhatsApp previously released some new features:
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