https://9to5google.com/2026/04/08/youtube-starts-showing-90-second-unskippable-ads-to-tv-viewers/
YouTube Starts Showing 90-Second Unskippable Ads to TV Viewers
Recently, YouTube has been aggressively pushing a policy of showing more ads overall and restricting users who use ad blockers in various ways. This latest move seems to be taking it a step further, with the introduction of unskippable ads up to 90 seconds long for TV viewers.
According to some users on Reddit's r/YouTube subreddit, ads that are significantly longer than the previously official 30-second ads have appeared. One user reported seeing them in a 40-minute video, while another commenter said they saw the ad in a video under 20 minutes long, suggesting that there is no strong correlation with video length. Unsurprisingly, most reactions are negative, with some users recommending unofficial third-party YouTube apps, sharing ad-blocking methods, or expressing nostalgia for the past.
Furthermore, based on cases posted on Reddit, the actual ad length may be longer than 90 seconds, but a "skip" button becomes active after approximately 90 seconds. It appears that this change is currently only being applied to the TV viewing environment and not desktops or mobiles. This is likely related to Google's strategy of attracting traditional TV advertisers to YouTube, similar to cable TV or ad-based streaming services.
Meanwhile, this change comes after Google launched YouTube Premium Lite in the US about two months ago. The service costs $8 per month and removes ads from most videos (excluding music content), enables background playback, and offline storage. However, given the fatigue many users have been feeling due to YouTube's ad policy changes over the past one or two years, it is understandable that there is backlash against this move. It seems that YouTube is now aiming to become more than just a user-centric platform; it wants to be a platform that competes with Netflix and a major stage for various advertisers.
