Google Refutes Claims of Hours-Long Unskippable Ads on YouTube

A post on The Verge says Google has pushed back against claims that YouTube is serving unskippable ads lasting minutes or even hours to users with ad blockers enabled. Instead, the company is pointing fingers at ad blockers for any disruptions, describing them as the cause of a “suboptimal viewing experience.”

Reports from users, including those on Reddit, have highlighted lengthy unskippable ads ranging from a few minutes to nearly three hours. One Reddit user recently shared a photo showing an ad lasting almost three hours with no skip option. Many speculate this is a punitive move by YouTube against users trying to bypass ads with ad blockers.

However, YouTube communications manager Oluwa Falodun denies these allegations, emphasizing that YouTube does not serve minutes-long, non-skippable ads. According to Google’s policy, non-skippable in-stream ads are generally limited to 15 seconds, with longer formats of up to 30 or 60 seconds appearing only on YouTube TV. Meanwhile, skippable ads on YouTube have no maximum duration, but viewers can skip them after a few seconds.

Ad Blockers Under Scrutiny
One potential explanation for the lengthy ads is the interference of ad blockers themselves. A Reddit user suggested that ad blockers may prevent the skip button from appearing while failing to block the ad entirely. Refreshing the page reportedly fixes this issue, hinting that the problem may not lie with YouTube.

Falodun reiterates that the use of ad blockers violates YouTube’s terms of service and impacts creators who depend on ad revenue. Users with ad blockers receive repeated prompts to either allow ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience. If these warnings are ignored, YouTube reserves the right to disable playback entirely, though this is a last resort.

YouTube’s Past Denials
This isn’t the first time YouTube has faced ad-related criticism. Last October, users reported that skip buttons and countdown timers for ads were disappearing. YouTube responded by clarifying that it was simply moving the countdown timer to a progress bar at the bottom of the player to create a cleaner interface.

For now, Google is holding firm on its stance, attributing any viewing disruptions to ad blockers and reaffirming its commitment to fair advertising practices that support its creators.