YouTube has recently faced criticism for increasing the frequency of advertisements during videos and livestreams, whether intentionally or not. In response, the platform has introduced an update aimed at reducing ad interruptions for certain livestream viewers.
In a significant development, YouTube announced that viewers who support creators through Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gift purchases will now experience fewer ads during livestreams. This update automatically grants supporters an ad-free window immediately following their transaction, ensuring their contribution is acknowledged without disruption. This feature applies to creators who have automatic ads enabled, which is the default setting on the platform.
Creators are encouraged to promptly thank supporters using these features, as the new system is designed to preserve that moment by temporarily suspending ads. Meanwhile, YouTube’s algorithm will also detect moments of peak engagement, such as a surge in comments, and activate ad-free windows to maintain the flow of interaction without interruptions. The platform emphasized that ads interrupting these moments can damage the “collective vibe” of the livestream experience.
Previously, YouTube adjusted ad timing to avoid breaking the momentum of videos, but this sometimes resulted in ads appearing after peak moments had passed, which could also affect livestreams. In a recent fix, the company addressed a bug that caused unskippable 90-second ads to appear during videos, clarifying that such lengthy ads were not intended to be mandatory for viewers.
It remains unclear how long these ad-free windows will last or how often they will occur during livestreams. However, this update appears to be currently active, aiming to improve the viewing experience for supporters and maintain engagement during livestreams.
