YouTube changes Ad system: Limits creators' control and sparks user backlash

YouTube is apparently set to change its ad system, taking away creators' ability to control where ads are placed and whether they can be skipped by viewers, as the company has revealed in a recent announcement. The upcoming changes will limit creators to choosing whether ads are displayed before or after a video, removing the options for pre-roll, post-roll, skippable, or non-skippable ads (previously controlled through YouTube Studio).

Live videos will now include a 60-second countdown before an ad is shown, but creators can choose to skip the ad. The same ad placement system will be applied to newly uploaded videos. Mid-roll ads will stay the same, but a new feature, 'Live Display Ad', and countdown/delay controls for livestreams will be introduced. YouTube's parent company, Google, stated that the changes are intended to increase creator income and promote best practices within the creator community.

These changes have been met with criticism from YouTube users, many of whom consider them unnecessary. The long-term effects of these changes are not yet known, and it is unclear if Google will keep these changes or revise them based on user feedback. The truth is that YouTube's dominant position in the market makes it difficult to challenge abusive policies, but perhaps this could be an opportunity to take a look at decentralized alternatives like PeerTube (pretty much like Mastodon but for YouTube).