"In a March 2 post on Google's Ads & Commerce blog aimed at advertisers, the company outlined plans to expand ad formats on connected TVs-including 30-second spots that can't be skipped unless viewers subscribe to YouTube Premium. Previously, the app allowed users to skip ads (which varied in length) after a few seconds."
"Users are not happy with the change, believing that the increased corporatization of YouTube -once an important part of early internet counterculture-has permanently changed the platform they once loved. "YouTube about to reduce the time I spend watching YouTube. I guess it will be good for my health," read one comment, in response to the news."
"Still, YouTube continues to be a huge revenue-maker, netting an estimated $62 billion in 2025. Because of this, financial research firm MoffettNathanson declared YouTube the "new king of all media." But users are critical of the platform for changes that put profit first, sharing their low expectations of the company."
""They keep increasing ads without losing revenue. They'll find a breaking point, back off, and sit there for a while. Then people will get used to that, then they'll increase ads," one Reddit user wrote of the changes. "Rinse, repeat, profit.""
YouTube announced plans to expand ad formats on connected TVs, including 30-second unskippable advertisements that require YouTube Premium subscriptions to bypass. Previously, users could skip ads after a few seconds. The change aims to help advertisers reach audiences more effectively. Users express frustration, viewing this as further corporatization of a platform once central to internet counterculture. The backlash reflects broader concerns about YouTube's profit-focused strategy, including crackdowns on ad blockers and promotion of Premium subscriptions. Despite user dissatisfaction, YouTube remains highly profitable, generating an estimated $62 billion in 2025 revenue. Users anticipate YouTube will continue incrementally increasing ads until reaching a breaking point, then repeating the cycle.
Read at Dailydot
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