I’m a huge YouTube fan, and it’s basically the only streaming platform I use. I don’t have Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, or even watch regular TV. Whenever I’m cooking, eating, or just relaxing, I put YouTube on my Smart TV.
I don’t know if this is only happening in Spain or if it’s the same everywhere, but the number of ads lately has become absolutely unbearable.
Today was the final straw. I watched a 20-minute highlight video of the World Cup final, and I’m not exaggerating: before the video even started, I got an unskippable ad that lasted over a minute. Then, every 90 seconds or two minutes, another ad would interrupt the video, usually at least 30 seconds long. By the end, I must have watched around 10–12 ads during a 20-minute video, and several of them were over a minute long.
What’s going on?
I completely understand that YouTube needs ads to make money, and I honestly don’t mind watching ads because the service is free. But this isn’t just advertising anymore it’s excessive. It genuinely feels like they’re trying to make the TV app so frustrating that you’re forced to either stop using it or pay for Premium.
Am I the only one experiencing this, or has anyone else noticed the same thing on Smart TVs?
**P.S.: This is specifically about Smart TVs. On my PC and phone I use an ad blocker, so it’s not an issue there.**