Instagram is experimenting with a controversial feature: unskippable ad breaks while users scroll through their feed. Currently in limited testing, the feature interrupts a user’s browsing session with mandatory ads that must be viewed before they can continue scrolling. Meta, Instagram’s parent company, is reportedly testing this feature with a select group of users globally.
The move mirrors the advertising strategies seen on platforms like YouTube, where unskippable ads are common—but applying this model to the scroll-based Instagram feed is raising eyebrows among users and marketers alike.
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What Are Unskippable Scroll Ads?
The new format, dubbed “Ad Breaks,” places a full-screen ad that halts your scroll on Instagram. Users must watch the ad for a few seconds before the app allows them to continue browsing. Instagram has confirmed these tests, stating they are exploring ways to help advertisers reach people more effectively.
This model could significantly change how people engage with Instagram, which has long thrived on seamless, uninterrupted content flow.
User Reactions Are Mixed
While some users see this as an understandable evolution in monetization, many have reacted negatively:
@TechGenZ (on X): “Unskippable ads while scrolling IG? That’s how you lose a generation.”
Reddit discussions have seen users threaten to uninstall the app or switch to TikTok, citing “annoyance” and “aggression” in ad delivery.
It’s clear the feature risks alienating Instagram’s core audience, particularly younger users who expect speed and control.
Why Instagram Is Doing This
Instagram, like other social platforms, is under pressure to increase ad revenue and prove value to advertisers in a competitive digital landscape. With Meta’s AI-driven ad targeting and growing commerce integrations, the company likely sees unskippable ads as a tool to improve viewability metrics and ROI for advertisers.
According to Meta’s Q1 2025 earnings report, Reels and Stories continue to grow, but ad impressions per session are plateauing. This feature could help reverse that trend—if users tolerate it.
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How It Compares to Other Platforms
YouTube has normalized unskippable ads but offers a premium tier to avoid them.
TikTok features full-screen ads, but users can usually skip quickly.
Snapchat includes forced ad views in Stories but not the main feed.
If Instagram continues with this strategy, it may need to offer a subscription option to offset user frustration, much like YouTube Premium.
What Experts Say
Ava Chen, digital marketing strategist at AdSpectra, explains:
“Instagram’s feed is sacred to its users. Disrupting that experience must be balanced with value—either through better content or clearer user benefit.”
This test will likely determine how far Meta can push monetization before risking user churn.
Conclusion
Instagram’s unskippable ad test marks a bold—and potentially risky—pivot in its monetization strategy. While advertisers may welcome higher engagement, users may not be as forgiving. As the platform navigates this experiment, its outcome could influence how all social media platforms balance revenue goals with user experience.
Whether this becomes a new norm or backfires remains to be seen—but it’s a clear signal that Instagram is betting big on ad dominance.
