Multiple user reports suggest the Meta-owned social media platform Instagram is testing a feature called "Ad Break," which as the name says, brings unskippable ads to the users" feeds. The compulsory advertisements have a countdown that lasts for 3 to 5 seconds.
"Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing," the description of the feature reads.
While tech companies like Meta rely on advertisements for their bread and butter, ads that can"t be skipped aren"t always welcomed with open arms by the users. Instagram"s latest efforts have attracted criticism on social media platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter).
"Coming soon for everyone. This’ll be the last straw for me when it comes to Instagram. I could stand the plethora of ads sprinkled throughout the entire app already, but unskippable?" a user wrote on Reddit.
Thank you, @instagram for putting an end to doomscrolling by spamming us with Ad breaks. Now, when I am forced into one of those breaks, I take it as a reminder to close the IG App and go on X.
— Jen Fry (@JenniferRavolet) June 3, 2024
It appears that the Ad break feature is visible to a small number of users on the platform right now and Instagram is testing the waters to figure out how people are responding to its new ad format. There is no official word from the company and it"s not known when (or if) the unskippable ads will roll out on Instagram at a bigger scale.
For reference, Google"s YouTube also runs in-stream unskippable ads on its videos, which can go up to 60 seconds in the case of its live TV service YouTube TV. However, users can dodge YouTube ads by subscribing to its paid offering YouTube Premium.
On the other hand, the Meta Verified monthly subscription available to Instagram users offers various perks such as a verified badge and impersonation protection but doesn"t let users get rid of the ads on the platform.