YouTube is a video streaming platform used by billions of people around the world. Although many people pay for premium subscriptions to skip ads, there are still millions of people who prefer to watch ads to enjoy YouTube content for free.
Usually after a few seconds you’ll see an option to skip the ad and continue watching the video. However, some users have accused YouTube of intentionally hiding the ad skip button and forcing them to watch the entire ad.
Some users have noted that YouTube is blocking the ad skip button with a black square. YouTube has finally responded to the complaint. In a statement to The Verge, YouTube spokesperson Oluwa Farodun denied the accusations against the company.
Image via BigBlueMountainStar on Reddit
Farodan said the company is not removing the ad skip button, but rather changing some elements of how ads are displayed on the platform. According to Falodun, “YouTube doesn’t hide the skip button. For skippable ads, the button will appear 5 seconds after playback begins, as usual.”
As for changes the video streaming platform is considering, Farodan said YouTube is “reducing elements of its ad player to allow viewers to engage more deeply with ads through a cleaner experience.” Additionally, the spokesperson said, “Both desktop and mobile users will also see a countdown timer to skip the ad “displayed as a progress bar at the bottom of the screen.”
YouTube bombards viewers with ads even when a video is paused, and the company is stepping up its fight against ad blockers. YouTube wants people to watch ads, but so far it doesn’t seem like it’s completely removing the ad skip button.
However, if you’re tired of seeing ads every few seconds while watching your favorite content on YouTube, consider subscribing to YouTube Premium. However, the company recently raised the price of its subscriptions, creating a hurdle for average users who don’t want to pay just to skip ads.