YouTube has recently come under scrutiny for increasing ad frequency during videos and livestreams, whether intentionally or not. The latest platform update impacts livestream viewers by showing fewer ads under specific conditions.
Recently, YouTube announced several changes to livestreams, two of which are notable. According to their press release, livestreams will now automatically show fewer ads to users who support creators with Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gift purchases.
YouTube states that this update will automatically flag a supporter with an ad-free window following a purchase. This change affects creators with automatic ads enabled, which is the default setting.
When a supporter uses Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gifts, it’s important to thank them immediately. To ensure that moment isn’t disrupted, an update will be rolled out to create a personal ad-free window right after their support automatically. This will apply automatically to any creator who has automatic ads enabled, so it’s advisable to ensure you’re set up accordingly.
Additionally, ad-free windows will activate when YouTube’s algorithm detects peak engagement, for example, a surge in comments, by temporarily turning off ads and preventing interruptions in the feed.
The video streaming platform remarks that this sort of behavior ruins the “collective vibe.” Previously, the company adjusted the timing of advertisements to prevent interruptions that might disrupt the flow or momentum of videos. However, that adjustment meant ads would appear after that moment died off, which may be the case during livestreams, too.
Recently, the company resolved an issue with unskippable 90-second ads appearing during videos, which was attributed to a bug. YouTube clarified that these long-form ads were not being imposed on users without the option to skip.
It remains uncertain how long these “ad-free windows” will last and how frequently they will occur during livestreams. It seems that this update is now live.
