Instagram is trying to force users to stop doomscrolling in a way that isn’t satisfying.
The social media platform is testing “ad breaks,” where users pause to watch an ad for a set period of time before continuing scrolling.
Some users have reported seeing the feature on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit on their own accounts, with Instagram spokesman Matthew Tye saying: Confirmed by The Verge That the test is actually being performed.
Meta’s Instagram already displays sponsored ads and posts within scrolling content in both the home feed and Reels, but like YouTube’s platform, unskippable ads can be intrusive, with some users calling it “garbage.”
“Testing new garbage feature,” one Reddit user said. Give the thread a title Regarding ad breaks.
“Just a heads up to all Instagram execs here, if you go ahead with this, this is a terrible decision,” the person wrote on the Instagram subreddit page. “I’m already sick of the amount of ads Instagram shows me, but this? This is next level.”
They continued: “First these companies introduced fast scrolling and instant dopamine hits that made humans less focused than a goldfish, and now they want to change it because it negatively impacts how people view their ads? I say no.”
Reddit users were hit with the ad breaks while scrolling through posts in their home feed: after scrolling for a certain amount of time, an “ad break” icon appears at the bottom of the screen, along with a timer showing how much of an ad they have to watch before they can scroll again.
Someone has Shared by X “The app really stopped me from scrolling past this ad, which is totally weird behavior to me.”
Click on the info button for an explanation Written on the window“Ad breaks are a new way to show ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can continue browsing.”
Another Reddit user declared the update would be “the final straw” for Instagram, writing: “I can live with the plethora of ads sprinkled throughout the app, but you can’t skip them? Fuck you.” They wrote it.
“Meta has some top notch UX designers, why didn’t they do any research before publishing this?” Commented.
“This is going to upset a lot of people,” said another. Said.
It’s unclear if or when the feature will roll out to all users, but Tye told The Verge that Instagram will “provide updates if this test results in any official product changes.”
