YouTube is reportedly increasing the rollout of pause ads, which appear when users pause a video.
First announced last year, these ads are now becoming more common, sparking concerns among many viewers.
As per several reports, the ads can be either static images or short looping videos, and YouTube decided to proceed after receiving positive feedback from both advertisers and users.
Unlike the typical ads that play at the start or during videos, pause ads only show up when a video is paused, occupying a small section of the screen.
On desktop, they appear on the right side of the video, while on mobile, they overlay the comment section.
Users can close these ads by clicking an 'X' in the top-right corner, distinguishing them from unskippable ads.
The aim is to provide a less disruptive experience, although it remains unclear if regular ads will be shown less frequently with the introduction of these pop-up ads.
To note, YouTube is not the first platform to implement pause ads. Services like Disney+ Hotstar, JioCinema, and Zee5 already feature ads during pauses for their free and lower-priced subscription tiers.
