Instagram started displaying ads on timelines in 2015 before also appearing on Stories in 2018. All previous ads could be skipped by users scrolling up or to the side to see other, more relevant content. Instagram is now starting to display a new ad format that simply cannot be skipped.
On the other hand, the ability to scroll will be temporarily stopped and after a few seconds the user will be able to scroll the screen again. Advertisements began to be noticed by users in the past few days with a countdown animation on the screen as shown in the advertising used on YouTube.
The reaction of Instagram users on social media at this time is negative because this kind of advertising interferes with the experience of using the application. So far we have not seen any ads like this in Malaysia. But the fact is that advertising is how free services generate revenue.
Since it is no longer possible to sell data and track users, more creative ways are used. Perhaps later Meta will offer a Premium plan that turns off all ads as it has been offered to European Union users.