This better not be happening: YouTube Premium users are seeing ads

My, my: some YouTube Premium users – which are paying for the Premium plan precisely to not get any ads – are still seeing ads.

This better not be happening!

Sadly, numerous reports have emerged over the past few weeks, 9to5Google reports, suggesting that YouTube Premium users are being shown ads despite their paid subscriptions. Some users have shared screenshots of support emails hinting that these ads might be intentional. YouTube, however, insists that Premium subscribers are not supposed to see ads.

You cough up your cash for Premium, so you can escape the noise, the endless barrage of ads, those irrelevant interruptions trying to sell you stuff you don’t need, from faces you don’t trust. But here they come anyway.

YouTube Premium was designed to provide a seamless experience without the annoyance of pre-roll and mid-roll ads that typically fund the platform and its creators. Instead, the monthly fee is intended to cover those costs directly, ensuring that viewers aren’t interrupted.

Despite this, complaints have piled up recently from users who claim they’re seeing ads even with their Premium accounts. These ads aren’t limited to pre-roll and mid-roll formats; some have reported seeing ads in the Home feed as well. Notably, a user in Germany raised concerns, though it’s unclear if they are part of a "Premium Lite" experiment being tested there, which might allow for some ads, the report reads.

In another instance shared on Reddit, a YouTube support email suggested that "promotional ads can sometimes show up for certain partnerships or limited-time deals". In this case, the ad was related to YouTube TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package. The support agent speculated that factors like the viewer’s location, watch history, or a specific promotional campaign might be at play.

When asked for clarification, YouTube representatives told 9to5Google that without additional context, it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact issue, but reiterated that Premium subscribers should not be seeing any pre-roll or mid-roll ads. They recommended that affected users reach out to support for assistance. They also mentioned that Premium users might see offers for exclusive perks on the benefits page, but these should not appear as in-video ads.

In short, if you’re paying for Premium and still seeing ads, it’s not supposed to happen. YouTube advises reaching out to support to resolve the issue and ensure you get the ad-free experience you paid for.

What do you call it, when something that's not supposed to happen… happens? A horror? A paradox? What do you call it, when you pay for a Premium subscription and you still see the exact same things you're paying not to see? That's a major bummer, if you ask me.