- Meta has confirmed that it is testing non-skippable ads on Instagram feeds
- Users are outraged by the changes, with some threatening to delete the app
Seeing ads in your social media feed is already annoying enough, but for Instagram users, the experience could soon become even more frustrating.
Meta has confirmed that it is now testing a feature that introduces non-skippable ads to users’ Instagram feeds.
When encountered, these ads display a timer and prevent the user from scrolling until a full amount of time has elapsed, similar to YouTube.
The feature, which Instagram calls ‘ad break’, was first noticed over the weekend by one user who called the change ‘crazy’.
And on social media, many angry Instagram users are already threatening to quit the social media platform altogether if the change becomes permanent.
Click here to resize this module
A number of Instagram users have reported seeing unskippable ad breaks appearing in their news feeds.
According to users, the ads last up to 10 seconds and disable scrolling for that entire time.
Clicking on the info button in the ad brings up a message from Instagram that reads: ‘See ad break.’
The message continues: ‘Ad breaks are a new way to see ads on Instagram.
‘Sometimes you may need to view an ad before continuing to browse.’
Meta has now confirmed that this is a test for a new advertising format that currently appears to be affecting a small number of users.
Click here to resize this module
A spokesperson for Meta told MailOnline: ‘We are always testing formats that can add value to advertisers.
‘As we test and learn, we will provide updates if this test results in any official product changes.’
Meta’s statement suggests the change may not be available to all users, but the test has already sparked outrage.
One commenter on Xu, formerly Twitter, wrote: ‘They need to know it’s a killer app.’
Another wrote that the ad breaks would be their ‘Instagram notifications’, while another asked: ‘So they want to kill the app?’
A few outraged Instagram users have even threatened to quit the social media platform for good if non-skippable ads become widespread.
‘I swear if this turns out to be true I’m deleting my account,’ wrote one, while another simply responded by writing: ‘I’ll delete the app.’
Another wrote: ‘Introducing non-skippable ad breaks to Instagram? An application that has already become one big advertisement because of influencers? We just won’t scroll.’
Click here to resize this module
If the change becomes permanent, it would bring Instagram closer to a free version of YouTube that shows users non-skippable ads throughout videos.
However, unlike YouTube, most Instagram users currently do not have the option to pay to remove ads from their experience.
The exception is in the EU where users can pay €9.99 (£8.51) per month to remove ads from Meta products.
Many social media users have speculated that the introduction of non-skippable ads could be a precursor to a wider rollout of ad-free paid tiers, similar to video streaming giants such as YouTube, Disney+ and Netflix.
One commenter on X wrote: ‘I feel like ad-free meta subscriptions are coming.’
While another wrote: ‘Lol it’s actually a way to create a more expensive ad tier.
‘Not a bad attempt to spin it to make Meta look like they care about us.’