Vietnam To Introduce New Rules To Curb Unskippable Online Ads

We all do it: click a video, see an ad, and immediately look for the skip button. It’s automatic. But those long, unskippable ads? They’re painful. It feels like you’re forced to sit there and watch a sales pitch just to see a two-minute video. If you’re in Vietnam, those long, can’t-skip ads on YouTube are about to disappear. The government there has stepped in with a new rule that puts a hard limit on how long these ads can run. From February 15, any unskippable video ad on online platforms will be restricted to just five seconds.

The changes announced by the Vietnamese government also focus on making online ads less irritating. Pop-ups will have to be easy to shut with a single click. Ads that use confusing or fake close buttons won’t be allowed. Plus, people must be clearly shown how to report an ad or stop it from showing up again. What makes this whole thing interesting is who acted first. For a long time, viewers everywhere have complained about ads getting worse, especially the ones you’re forced to sit through.

Countries known for strict internet rules and strong consumer laws largely stayed silent as that frustration kept growing. That’s why it feels a bit unusual that a Southeast Asian country still finding its footing economically is the first to draw a clear boundary and say enough is enough. Ads help keep video platforms open to everyone and put money in creators’ pockets. That part isn’t controversial. The trouble began when ads started to dominate the experience. Viewers were pushed to sit through longer and more frequent interruptions, with no real control unless they paid up. As that pressure kept building, annoyance turned into public anger. When enough people feel the same way, governments notice, and that’s when rules start to change.

It could also change the way companies approach ads. When you’re limited to just a handful of seconds, every moment counts. You can’t drag things out or rely on repetition. If the message doesn’t click instantly, viewers will move on without a second thought. The law might not get rid of ads completely, but it sends a clear message: viewers’ experience matters. When one country acts, others start paying attention. So while you’re waiting through a long ad, know that in some places, people can skip it after just five seconds.