YouTube livestreams will now hold back ads during peak engagement to protect the vibe

YouTube announced this week that it will now hold back ads during livestreams if chat engagement is at its peak, and if users show support with Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gift purchases. Until now, the only way to avoid seeing ads was by paying for a YouTube Premium subscription. The Google-owned platform said in a blog post that when a chat explodes with energy, it wants to “protect that collective vibe.” When YouTube’s system recognizes that engagement is high, the platform will automatically hold back ads for everyone.