YouTube users notice a major change to the “Skip” button

THE advertisements on YouTube are an integral part of the user experience, keeping the majority of content free. But a recent modification of “Ignore” buttonvisible on mobile and desktop devices, intrigues many users. The countdown, which allowed you to wait before skipping the announcements, seems to be gradually fading, making navigation less intuitive.

YouTube changes the display of the “Skip” button

YouTube has long found a balance between display advertising and the patience of its users by allowing them to skip certain ads after a few seconds. The “Skip” button, placed in the corner of the screen with a countdown, clearly informed when the option was available. However, a recent change has been observed on the platform, both on the desktop version and my mobile version, where this countdown has disappeared.

Source : Android Police

The change was first spotted on desktop. Users noted that a gray area covered the “Ignore” button, making it difficult to know exactly when it would become active. Although the functionality remains the same, the disappearance of the countdown creates uncertainty for the user who, for a brief moment, may believe that the advertisement is now unavoidable. This modification seems to gradually extend to the mobile version, where the button remains, but without the famous countdown that helps to know when to use it.

A simple test or a future standard?

YouTube’s choice to hide the timer from the “Ignore” button could have several explanations. Some believe this is an attempt to make it appear that the ads cannot be skipped, thus tricking users into watching a few extra seconds of the ad. However, once the button is activated, it still appears clearly in its usual corner, allowing those who are paying attention to skip the ad like before.

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At the moment, no official confirmation has been given by YouTube regarding this change. This could be a large-scale test, as has often been the case with other changes to the platform, or it could be a standard evolution of the ad experience. At the same time, YouTube continues to deploy other advertising measures, including ads displayed when the user pauses a video, and a stricter policy against ad blockers.