Instagram is Testing Unskippable Ads
- Laurent Giret
- Jun 03, 2024
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Instagram has started testing unskippable ads with a limited of users. Screenshots of the new ad format have been shared by Instagram users on X and Reddit over the past couple of days, and the overall reception to these unskippable ads seems to be quite negative.
A screenshot posted on X by Instagram user Dan Levy shows a YouTube-like unskippable ad in the app’s main feed, with a timer showing how long the ad break will last. “The app legit stopped me from scrolling past this ad which is just a bonkers move to me,” the user wrote.
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Holy moly! Meta seemingly is now forcing us to watch ads in our feeds on Instagram!
The app legit stopped me from scrolling past this ad which is just a bonkers move to me. pic.twitter.com/740EXjGyl2
— Dan Levy ✡ דניאל לוי (@TheDanLevy) June 1, 2024
On Reddit, another user who saw one of these unskippable ads shared the message that shows up when tapping on the information button next to the Ad break text. “You’re seeing an ad break,” the text reads. “Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing Instagram.”
A Meta spokesperson has now confirmed to TechCrunch that Instagram was testing this new ad format. However, the company didn’t specify if the test was happening globally.
“We’re always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers,” the Meta company spokesperson said. “As we test and learn, we will provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes,” they added.
Just like Google, Meta makes the majority of its money from advertising, so it’s probably no surprise to see the company experimenting with more intrusive ad formats. In Europe, Facebook and Instagram users can now pay Meta €9.99/month if they don’t want to see targeted ads on Facebook or Instagram. Meta launched this new ad-free subscription last fall to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act. However, the EU Commission said in April that this binary choice may break DMA rules on data combination.