YouTube, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, has announced the implementation of "Pause ads," a feature that displays advertisements even when a video is paused.
What Happened: On Thursday, YouTube confirmed the broad rollout of "Pause ads" to all advertisers. Now, when a user pauses a video, an ad will appear on the side of the screen, reported CNN.
The new feature is intended to be "seamless for viewers" and offers an opportunity for them to learn more about a brand, a Google spokesperson told the report.
The update is seen as beneficial for the entire YouTube ecosystem and is part of the modern Connected TV (CTV) ads experience.
Despite YouTube's assertion that the update creates a less interruptive viewing experience, social media users have voiced their annoyance over the new, unavoidable ads.
Seriously @YouTube? You're putting up ads when you pause a video now?
— RoÆther (@Roaether) September 6, 2024
I am about to install a computer in place of the fire stick so I can have an ad blocker... Your ads are getting ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/OT4JMduGTU
nice one thing i hate when i pause a youtube video is the silence
— Keefler (@Keefler_Elf) September 20, 2024
@YouTube Playing ads when pausing a video is an absolute trash idea. Stop trying these atrocious implementations to try to strongarm users into your subscription service. When I pause a video I want to disconnect not have to also wait to mute/pause/skip and ad.
— Cannoli Senpai (@CannoliSenpai) September 20, 2024
Users can still avoid ads with a YouTube Premium subscription, which costs $13.99 a month for an individual.
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Why It Matters: The introduction of 'Pause ads' comes amid growing user frustration over the increasing number of ads on YouTube. Last year, Elon Musk agreed with millions of users worldwide that YouTube ads were "getting out of control."
In May this year, some YouTube users with ad blockers installed reported that their videos were skipping to the end, a phenomenon that was speculated to be a strategy by YouTube to counter ad blockers.
YouTube has also been experimenting with new ways to prevent rampant ad-blocking on the platform, including server-side ad injection.
Image via Shutterstock
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