The YouTube Ad Rewatch Policy is Satirical Meme

Earlier this month, a claim began to circulate broadly, stating that a newly introduced feature on YouTube would compel users to re-watch an advertisement if they failed to keep their attention on the screen while the advert was in progress. This supposed feature sparked widespread discussion and debate among the platform’s user base, as the claim continued to gain traction and visibility.

Social Media Claims A recent image surfaced on social media, purportedly displaying a new YouTube feature. According to it, YouTube would replay ads if users divert their gaze from their screens. The screen message stated: “Please maintain eye contact for the duration of the ad. Since you looked away, you’ll need to rewatch from the beginning. Restart ad.”

We discovered that the picture, along with the same claims, was widely shared on both Facebook and X (Twitter) platforms.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

However, our investigation revealed that the image and claim do not represent a current feature of YouTube.

Fact-Check

By using Reverse Image Search feature, we found that the image was created by Soren Iverson, an application developer.

In addition to suggesting playing ads on the YouTube application, Iverson has also proposed new feature ideas for other applications. These suggestions are a mix of creativity and sarcasm, such as “iOS Find Me Friends connects you with random strangers who want to be pals”, “LinkedIn unemployment streak”, and “Google Maps push notification for when the light turns green”.

The post that went viral and has been viewed over 17 million times is “YouTube rewatch the ad if you look away”.

Archive

Moreover, according to Snopes, Iverson has clarified that he only creates satirical designs on his account.

Additionally, Reuters confirmed that YouTube currently does not have a mechanism to compel viewers to watch ads in their entirety. Neither the YouTube website nor its social media channels made such an announcement.

Summary

In conclusion, the assertion that YouTube has introduced a feature forcing users to rewatch advertisements if they look away is not true. This misunderstanding originated from a satirical design by application developer Soren Iverson and does not reflect YouTube’s existing features or practices. Currently, there is no mechanism in place to mandate viewers to watch ads in their entirety.