YouTube users on TVs have started complaining about ads in droves, even when the video is paused. Note that the YouTube team announced this ad format in May 2023 and has started testing it in a few regions. It looks like YouTube has started rolling out an ad break format for users worldwide.

As seen in the complaints, when the video is paused, the player in the window on the left will shrink, while ads will appear on the right. The column with ads will have a corresponding Sponsored label, indicating the brand name and logo. You will also see a title for the ad, a Decline button to close the ad, and an “i” button for more information. The ads will automatically disappear once the video plays.

At the same time, Google continues its fight against ad blockers on its YouTube platform. The latest such innovation is the introduction of server-side advertising, which will render blockers useless as ads are embedded within videos. It seems that the only way to opt out of ads in the future will be a premium YouTube subscription.