We asked if YouTube's unskippable ads have gone too far, and readers didn't hold back – Android Authority

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January 12, 2026
YouTube’s unskippable ads have been getting longer, more frequent, and harder to ignore. Recently, we reported on how one country has decided to step in and legally limit the duration of unskippable video ads, effectively forcing platforms like YouTube to make ads skippable after five seconds. That story struck a nerve with our readers, so we ran a survey asking people if governments should step in to limit unskippable ads on YouTube and other platforms online, and the response was overwhelming!
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In just a few days, more than 10,000 people participated in our survey, turning it into one of the most engaged reader votes we’ve seen on Android Authority recently.
A massive 86.7% of respondents said, “Yes, the current ad experience on YouTube is out of control.” That level of agreement shouldn’t really be all that surprising given that the issue directly impacts user experience, creator funding, and how YouTube makes money.
Only 5.4% of the people who took the survey said they oppose government involvement because ads fund creators and keep YouTube content free. Another 7.9% of the voters said they simply avoid the problem by paying for YouTube Premium or using other ways to get rid of ads altogether.
In other words, nearly nine out of ten people who participated in our YouTube ads survey believe YouTube’s unskippable ads have crossed a line, and that some form of regulation is justified and needed.
The survey didn’t just generate votes; it also garnered hundreds of comments, with folks venting out about how YouTube handles ads today.
A common theme was that YouTube’s aggressive ad strategy is actively pushing people away from the platform. One reader said they only stuck with YouTube Premium because they refuse to watch ads, but warned that another price hike would make them walk away entirely.
“But when they raise prices again, I’ll cancel just like I did Netflix, HBO and Peacock… I made it pretty far in life without the online monopoly platform.”
Another reader pointed out that unskippable ads are not only annoying but also ineffective.
“Forced length ads already make people not pay attention. At least with 5-second ads, people are paying attention to when to skip.”
Several survey participants said they actively avoid ads in ways that hurt both YouTube and creators, including by immediately hitting the back button whenever an unskippable ad appears, using third-party tools to avoid ads, or using different platforms to watch YouTube, depending on which one serves fewer ads.
“On my phone, I get far fewer ads… On my PS5, I get 30-second unskippable ads every 5 minutes,” said one reader.
“They’re only making their consumers angry and encouraging some audacious company to take YouTube’s place,” commented another.
Then there were people who acknowledged the need for ads but felt YouTube has gone far beyond what’s fair.
“I understand the social contract of viewing ads in order to receive a free service… However, some ad companies go overboard… When companies do wrong, then the public cries out for regulation,” a reader noted.
Even among users who believe platforms have a right to monetize, many argued that YouTube is repeating the same mistake that killed traditional TV, i.e., stuffing so many ads into content that people eventually give up.
All in all, the survey results and comments show that user disconnect is at its peak when it comes to YouTube’s ad strategy. Viewers understand that ads pay for creators, and many even accept paying with their time or their data, but what they don’t want is being forced to sit through long, unskippable commercials every few minutes just to watch short clips. And if regulation is what it takes to limit these ads, people are all for it.
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