News & Reviews:   Ads

YouTube is reportedly testing 90-second unskippable ads on its TV app, significantly increasing ad duration compared to the usual 15 to 30-second limit. While there is no direct pricing involved, the move reflects the platform’s ongoing push to strengthen ad-based monetisation, especially for users who are not subscribed to Premium.

Google, through its video platform YouTube, has reportedly begun introducing 30-second non -skippable ads specifically for viewing on smart televisions. This new ad format is now available to advertisers worldwide. So, what should you know about it?

Today, Google has introduced a new certification requirement for financial services advertisers targeting Malaysia, aimed at strengthening protections against online financial scams. The new measure, known as Financial Services Verification (FSV), adds an additional layer of security to Google’s existing financial products and services advertising policies.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is currently developing an optional subscription plan that will completely remove ads from the "Updates" tab, which is the section that houses Status and Channels. So, what should you know about it?

Apple has previously announced that it will be adding more display and advertising options through its app store, the Apple App Store. Now, Apple has updated to say that this ad integration will take effect in March 2026. So, what should you know about it?

We all knew it was going to happen at some point. What began as a limited test in select regions is now entering a broader rollout, as Meta has marked one year since testing advertising on its social platform Threads by announcing a phased global expansion of ads to all users and markets.

In early December, I came across a nostalgic Facebook post reminiscing about how simple the platform once was, before reels, algorithms, and endless noise took over. Having used social media since 2009, that moment made me realise how much not just Facebook, but all major platforms have changed, and why I now find myself pulling away from them more often: social media nowadays is worse than ever.

As you should know by now, many companies are on the bandwagon of utilising AI to replace the human workforce. In this latest stunt, McDonald's Netherlands recently released a Christmas-themed commercial created entirely with AI, which was largely met with negative reception. Who could have seen that coming?

Honestly, we are not surprised by this news. Ever since the pandemic, we have noticed that more scams have been disguised as Facebook ads. The recent news report by Reuters confirmed this, as internal documents reviewed by the media show that Meta projected it would earn about 10% of its 2024 annual revenue — roughly US$16 billion — from advertisements linked to scams and banned goods across its platforms.

Since Nothing launched its first smartphone, the industry has considered the company's Nothing OS one of the best UIs around. It's minimalist, clean, and free from the bloatware you typically see in Chinese phones. However, that's no longer the case with the next update.