Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- YouTube is testing a brand new methodology to stop customers from skipping adverts by obfuscating the Skip button.
- The change entails including blackout squares over adverts to cover the Skip button, doubtlessly a part of a restricted take a look at.
- Dissent amongst customers has risen as YouTube tries novel methods to drive advert viewership, and this new methodology won’t go down effectively.
YouTube affords one of the best mix of user-generated content material and a free viewing expertise if the Premium tier does not enchantment to you. Sadly, Google may need change into a bit of overzealous with its advert monetization, forcing viewers to observe longer advert segments, typically even testing lengthy, unskippable segments. Now, a couple of customers have seen YouTube testing a brand new methodology to stop customers from skipping adverts — obfuscating the Skip button.
YouTube has been moderately vocal about its struggle in opposition to freeloaders who will not pay for YouTube Premium, or watch the adverts which help the free stream. Individuals use every part from browser extensions to advert blocking apps and spoofed YouTube purchasers to observe movies with out the adverts, forcing Google to take drastic measures. One current experiment tried injecting adverts within the video stream immediately to discourage blocking makes an attempt. One other such try has now come to gentle.
Redditor /u/BigBlueMountainStar discovered YouTube testing tiny black rectangle overlays which disguise the Skip button you see as soon as and the advert turns into skippable. The location is especially annoying as a result of viewers may imagine the Skip button is hidden beneath, however simply hidden by the on-screen sticker, fairly like stickers hiding the choice to proceed with out tipping on POS machines.
The change may very well be a part of a restricted take a look at
We weren’t in a position to recreate the advert supply methodology, or expertise it on any of our gadgets. Nevertheless, the feedback beneath the Reddit submit counsel there’s greater than only one particular person seeing this on YouTube, so it may very well be a restricted take a look at. YouTube’s grand plan continues to be a thriller, but it surely hiding the button may very well be step one to eradicating it fully.
Whereas ad-powered monetization is important for YouTube’s free tier to function, dissent amongst customers has risen because the firm just lately began making an attempt novel methods to drive advert viewership. Current examples embody Pause adverts which present up whenever you pause content material in your TV, suspending playback if an adblocker is detected, and slower load instances.
Assuming ad-supported content material is right here to remain, we hope Google does not eradicate the Skip button or take away the countdown timer for advert segments with future server-side updates. If you need good riddance from the adverts and Google’s perseverance displaying them to you, YouTube Premium is only a buy away.