YouTube has introduced a new form of advertising that displays ads when users pause videos, particularly on TV platforms. This feature, which began testing earlier in 2023, is now being rolled out more widely. When a user pauses a video, the screen shrinks to reveal an ad on the right-hand side, often accompanied by options to dismiss it or get more information. Advertisers, including brands like Dunkin’ Donuts, are among the first to adopt this new ad format.

The pause screen ads are designed to be less intrusive, appearing only when users pause their content, allowing YouTube to generate more ad revenue without disrupting the viewing experience directly. However, many users have expressed frustration with this new feature, seeing it as yet another step in YouTube’s increasingly ad-heavy approach. This feature is not limited to TV platforms, as reports show it also being tested across mobile apps​

YouTube is not the first platform to experiment with pause ads. Services like Hulu and DirecTV have already implemented similar advertising tactics, mainly for users on lower subscription tiers

This move underscores YouTube’s ongoing efforts to diversify its advertising formats while balancing user experience and revenue generation, though it remains to be seen how popular these ads will be with a broader audience.