YouTube TV Users Report 90-Second Unskippable Ads

Users on online forums have reported encountering unskippable advertisements lasting up to 90 seconds on YouTube's television application, marking a potential escalation in the platform's advertising approach. The complaints, primarily shared on Reddit, describe these extended ad breaks appearing before videos resume on smart TVs and connected devices, with the skip option unlocking only after the full duration. These incidents have been noted in the United States since early spring, shortly after YouTube officially introduced 30-second unskippable ads on the same platform in March.

The longer ads do not appear tied to video length, affecting content ranging from short clips under 20 minutes to longer videos around 40 minutes or more. Reports indicate that the total ad block can sometimes exceed 90 seconds, though the initial segment remains non-skippable. For now, the changes seem confined to TV-based viewing, with no similar experiences reported on mobile apps or desktop browsers. YouTube's official guidelines for connected TVs limit unskippable in-stream ads to 30 seconds, raising questions about whether these longer formats represent an intentional test, a rollout...