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ZDNET's key takeaways
YouTube now has 30-second unskippable ads.
The ads only show on televisions for now.
You can remove the ads for just $8 a month.
Have you noticed that the "skip ad" button sometimes disappears on YouTube? You're not alone.
Over the past few weeks, users have been reporting that long, unskippable ads are appearing on YouTube videos when they're watching on a TV. I noticed it myself a few days ago, did some research, and saw that yes, YouTube has a new ad option that it calls "VRC Non-Skip."
The ads, which can be 6, 15, or 30 seconds long (Google AI will decide which length is appropriate in which instance), are designed to "ensure your message is delivered in its entirety," Google says. However, viewers on the receiving end of these ads are using words like unsufferable, miserable, annoying, the final straw, and the breaking point.
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