YouTube insists that a 90-sec, unskippable ad format 'isn't something we are testing' — but furious users say 'they very much exist'

• YouTube TV viewers are reportedly seeing longer, unskippable ads
• However, YouTube denies these ads are being tested
• An increasing number of ads are showing up on streaming services

A fresh debate has kicked up over adverts on YouTube, specifically 90-second, unskippable ads that appear on the YouTube TV app. Users are complaining that they've been introduced, while YouTube is insisting they shouldn't be showing up.

As 9to5Google reports, an official YouTube social media account posted that the platform "does not have a 90-second non-skippable ad format" — despite users taking to the web to vent their frustration at seeing these ad blocks appear on their TVs.

This "isn't something we are testing right now" the post from the YouTube team said, adding that "we're looking into this further". You can see some of the user complaints collected together (with photo evidence) over at Android Authority.

So are the ads there are not? They're very much there, according to Reddit, where there are numerous reports of this happening. One poster says they've had four so far in a single day, while another confirms "they very much exist".

The ad-apocalypse

YouTube says 90-second ads don't exist. Are you seeing them? from r/youtube

While YouTube looks into this, it's difficult to know for sure what's happening — but there seems no reason to doubt the multiple reports that are piling up from viewers about having to wait longer for ads, and not being able to skip through them.

Some users are suggesting these could actually be cases where three 30-second adverts are shown in a row, with no option to skip — which would make both YouTube and its users right, technically — but at the moment it's not clear what the details are.

What we do know is that YouTube hosts and serves up an incredible amount of video content, and is increasing its efforts to try and cover the costs — whether that's through longer adverts or pushing people to sign up for YouTube Premium.

It's definitely not pleasant for viewers though, who are seeing more and more ads across every streaming service. Perhaps the final word (for now) should go to this Redditor: "Joke's on them cause my attention span is too short for a 90-sec ad."

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