YouTube will soon be limited to running pre-roll adverts that last for a maximum of five seconds, but it’ll only take effect in Vietnam.
Even though adverts are one of the biggest ways for social media stars to pay the bills, plenty of viewers will look for ways to get around them. Ad-blocking software has long been one of the most popular add-ons for internet browsers, and platforms have made attempts to shut them down.
It’s a cat-and-mouse game, and it has seen creators, especially those on YouTube, start focusing more on adverts that happen naturally during a video rather than relying on pre-roll and mid-roll ads that are generated by the platform.
These adverts can last anywhere from five seconds to 30 seconds before a user has the ability to skip past them. However, that is no longer going to be the case in one country.
Vietnam cracking down on length of online ads
That’s right, as of February 15, Vietnam is limiting the length of time that pre-roll and pop-up ads will be able to stay on a page.
As per Decree 342/2025, online platforms are required to limit the unskippable duration of video and moving image ads to no more than 5 seconds. The regulations also will also stop websites from forcing viewers to wait before closing static image ads.
This will affect the likes of YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and online news publications.
While many have celebrated the change, some are questioning just how it will affect platforms and creators.
“This seems like it will have unintended consequences. You aren’t just going to get the same YouTube but now with 5 second skips on every ad,” one said. “More likely more ads more frequently, or 5 or 6 ads in a queue instead of just 2,” another added.
Additionally, the new law will require adverts to be more transparent in a bid to crack down on fake and fraudulent behavior. This also means that sites must display clear ways to report any ads they deem to be rule-breaking.
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