Assuming you have a tall smartphone in your hands (basically anything that isn’t an iPhone SE in this day and age), there is a good chance when you view any Instagram story there are chunks of blank space at the top and bottom end of your screen. Lo and behold, that looks like a free spot to put more ads into your eyes!
It’s Free Real (Ad) Estate For Instagram
This new ad implementation is spotted by 404 Media (and various users who have since posted on X/Twitter), which place the ads on the blank spot on the top and bottom part of your screen when you’re viewing any Instagram Story. The ad in question is “Super Rumble”, a VR game for Meta’s own Quest platform – and it has made itself known in all instances reported by Instagram users. Earlier this month, Meta (who owns Instagram) has confirmed that it is testing unskippable ads as well.
The current form of the ads is sneaky at the very least, and invasive at worst. Meta didn’t disclose the nature of the UI element which may trick users into clicking the ads by accident; and given the notoriety the company has gained with its inability to police advertisers with scams and inappropriate content, this has made such implementation even more dangerous.
In an earlier statement provided to TechCrunch regarding unskippable ads, Meta says the company is “always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers.” Safe to say this latest implementation is on the books as well once the company figures out the details in hopes to appease more advertisers, which forms a significant chunk of its overall revenue.
Pokdepinion: This is starting to get into dystopian territory now, isn’t it?
