Instagram is embroiled in controversy after rolling out a new feature called “Ad Breaks” to a limited number of users. According to reports surfacing on social media platforms Reddit and X, Meta-owned Instagram is testing with unskippable ads lasting between three to five seconds for select users. This has sparked discussions across social media forums, with many unhappy users threatening to abandon the platform altogether.
There is no official confirmation from Meta, which also owns other social media companies like Facebook, WhatsApp and Threads. However, a palpable sense of annoyance and inconvenience can be seen among users, with many expressing a willingness to abandon the platform if these changes become permanent. Comments express dismay at the lack of transparency surrounding the feature’s introduction. Users also complain that ad breaks disrupt the flow of scrolling through Instagram’s image-heavy content.
Got the Instagram “ad break” again & this time I clicked the info button to see their explanation
So abusive to their users to do this pic.twitter.com/BrzndbSvNk
— Dan Levy ✡ דניאל לוי (@TheDanLevy) June 1, 2024
“Ad Break” ie. unskippable ads now on Instagram
byu/notthatogwiththename inInstagram
The frustration stems from the nature of Instagram consumption. Unlike platforms like YouTube, where unskippable ads often precede longer videos, Instagram caters to a faster-paced browsing experience. Users argue that being forced to watch even short ads feels far more intrusive in this context.
This move follows recent updates such as the introduction of ‘Add Yours Music’ and ‘Reveal’ stickers, as well as improvements to the ‘Notes’ feature to enhance user engagement. However, the introduction of unskippable ads represents a departure from Instagram’s typical user experience. With the overwhelming majority of user feedback being negative, it is unclear whether Meta will expand the ad breaks test or introduce a paid, ad-free subscription tier to appease disgruntled users.
