Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2023 October 31

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October 31[edit]

Why did YouTube change Advertisement to Sponsored?[edit]

In the context of YouTube, sponsorships usually refer to moments when content creators promote third-party brands (e.g. Audible, BetterHelp, Brilliant, Dashlane, Established Titles, Ground News, Masterworks, NordVPN, Raid: Shadow Legends) through some of their videos in exchange for money. Conventional YouTube ads used to be labeled "Advertisement", but now they say "Sponsored" instead. – MrPersonHumanGuy (talk) 11:43, 31 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know (and I am finding YouTube's new ad regime, which blocks one for the use of adblockers) irritating, but I speculate that in their terminology, 'ads' are placed entirely at youTube's discretion, whereas 'sponsorships' are requested by the advertisers to accompany specific videos or at least specifically themed ones. Informed insider information would be useful: anyone? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 46.65.231.103 (talk) 15:29, 31 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Interesting. I have Ad Block Plus and swear I have never seen an ad on Youtube. It regularly reports that it has blocked two items on any Youtube page. Shantavira|feed me 09:46, 1 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
This is a recent change. The ads are videos served before or inserted in the middle of regular videos. I used to put on YouTube videos of concertos and such to listen to while doing work that dirtied my hands, but this has become pointless. I further resent being served ads for right-wing nutty ideas or for miracle stuff that contradict the scientific consensus.  --Lambiam 12:04, 1 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Have you tried the Ghostery extension for Firefox? That's been pretty successful at blocking YouTube ads for me. I only have to deal with the "sponsored" sections, where content creators splice into their videos ads for companies they've personally chosen to accept payment from, narrated in their own voice. I can't fault them for that after YouTube changed its monetization practices back in [year needed] and made it much more difficult to earn an income through the platform. Folly Mox (talk) 12:19, 1 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
AdBlock Plus and Ghostery are owned by advertising companies, this is why they let some ads through. Pick your ad blockers carefully. As for the original question, I guess the word "ads" has become tainted over the years due to the advertisers trying very hard to show ads to people who don't want to see them and aren't even interested in clicking on them to make the advertisers money, so "sponsored" is the next best alternative. 89.172.73.159 (talk) 14:56, 1 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]