Forum Discussion

cain38's avatar
cain38
Reel Rookie
4 months ago

Ridiculous amount of ads on YouTube app

When I watch YouTube videos on my roku TV I get SO MANY more ads than when I watch the same videos on my phone. On the TV there seems to be more frequent ad breaks which are mostly a minute long and unskippable. Watching the same video on my phone I get ads that are about 20 seconds and often I can skip them. Then when I pause the video in the tv it shrinks the video to half the screen and gives me a still image ad on the other half of the screen. It's been getting worse and has actually made YouTube almost unwatchable. Has anyone else had this experience or know why this is the case?

3 Replies

  • atc98092's avatar
    atc98092
    Community Streaming Expert
    4 months ago

    Google controls the ads you see on YouTube. And they absolutely insert different amounts of ads on different platforms. You really only have two alternatives: pay for YouTube Premium (which removes most if not all ads) or use an Android based device and sideload Smart Tube, which blocks almost all ads within the material playing. 

    You can complain to Google, but don't expect them to do anything about it. Ads help pay content providers (as well as Google), and they are unlikely to care that people see more ads on one platform compared to another. Remember that Google sells a device that competes with Roku, and while I don't subscribe to any conspiracy about it I wouldn't put it past Google to intentionally insert more ads in competing devices. 

  • Strega2's avatar
    Strega2
    Roku Guru
    4 months ago

    It's been years since I've used youtube, but I did get the impression that they test for tolerance level - ie: the more you keep watching, the more ads they give you. If you take a few months or more off, it seems to reset. Likewise, watching from other platforms is basically starting over. Basically I just use them these days when I need to find out how to disassemble a dish washer and I usually get to watch the video without ads since it's been a few years.

    Anyway, that's my impression. I have little current experience since even the dishwasher fix was a few years ago.

    It wouldn't surprise me if it also depends on whatever deal they make with a platform company. For example, I think Roku wants 20% of ads or something like that so the content provider might just decide to add 20% more.