Instagram’s latest feature has users considering leaving the platform for good

Instagram recently began testing a new feature called “Ad Breaks.” These unskippable ads interrupt users’ browsing experience and require them to watch the ad for at least three to five seconds before continuing to scroll through their feed.

Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has always relied on advertising to stay in business. You know those personalized ads that seem to know exactly what you’re interested in? That’s what Meta does best. But lately, it’s faced some challenges, like stricter privacy rules and the rise of TikTok. So it’s been trying different things to boost revenue, like in-app purchases, subscriptions, and now unskippable ad breaks.

Instagram has done a good job of integrating ads into its feed. We’re used to sponsored posts that almost feel like regular content. They’re like “soft ads,” not intrusive and trying to grab our attention. But these Ad Breaks are different. They’re like little teasers that remind us that Instagram is a business after all.

Insta-frustration

Meta has not officially announced the introduction of ad breaks, causing confusion and frustration among users. Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) have become hotbeds of discussion, with users voicing their frustrations and sharing their experiences.

• One Reddit user, u/sus_pineapple_appt, expressed disappointment, saying, “This is happening and I thought I was going crazy for 2 days straight… Goodbye Instagram. You don’t need this,” while another, u/the-s-is-for-sucks, called the feature a “terrible business decision” that could backfire by alienating users.
• Similarly, u/HTM pointed out the negative impact on user flow and engagement: “Meta has top class UX designers, why didn’t they do any research before releasing this? It completely impedes user flow. Adding friction like this is probably the worst way to increase ad engagement.”

X users were similarly unhappy, with Rob Moses (@RobMoses) expressing his intention to switch to TikTok for the ad breaks, while yy (@ithastobeyeye) lamented the forced wait for ads, suggesting he might spend less time on the platform.

Currently, the Ad Breaks feature appears to be limited to a small number of users, suggesting that Meta is running A/B tests to gauge user reaction and the impact the feature will have on ad revenue. It will remain to be seen whether the company rolls out Ad Breaks to all users or modifies the feature based on feedback.

While I haven’t personally encountered these ad breaks on my feed yet, I understand the frustration. Unskippable ads have a tendency to create a frustrating user experience, something I experienced firsthand when ads started appearing before Facebook videos, ultimately causing me to use the platform less. If the same thing happens with Instagram, it might be the final push I need to fully embrace my ongoing social media detox.