Vietnam is about to make long, unskippable online video ads a thing of the past, introducing a five-second limit before viewers must be given the option to skip. First reported by Android Authority and outlined in the state-run outlet Vietnam News, the policy sets a new level of aggressiveness for how ads can disrupt streaming and social video in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital markets.
What the Five-Second Rule Changes for Video Ads
According to Vietnam News, the rule stipulates that any video ad or moving-image sequence should enable viewers to skip it within five seconds from commencement. In practice, this quashes common “forced-view” experiences — think pre-rolls or mid-rolls that trap viewers for 15 to 20 seconds — and effectively reimagines familiar ad formats on platform giants.
Think of the YouTube ad lineup: Non-skippable in-stream units can typically last as long as 15–20 seconds in most markets, and “bumper” ads are intended to be unskippable six-second clips. For that, a five-second skip rule would require the platforms to mess with those formats in Vietnam or change how they get there. And the same goes for connected TV apps and social media that depend on longer forced-view ads to raise brand recall levels.
Why Regulators Are Cracking Down on Interruptive Ads
Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has gradually ramped up scrutiny of cross-border digital services in recent years, aiming to ensure consumer protection, content guidance, and platform responsibility. Reducing the “unskippable” part of ads is connected to one of the most persistent complaints from users: that interruption will come from nowhere and force them away.
Studies from market to market reveal that if viewers can avoid the ad they will; ads work better when graphics are short and messages relevant. With a five-second cap on the unskippable window, regulators are balancing reducing annoyance with keeping advertising profitable. It’s the consumer-first design choice: give viewers a quickly agreed-upon taste of a brand, but then return control to them.
Implications for Platforms, Creators and Brands
The decision falls right on platforms that monetize through pre-roll and mid-roll inventory. YouTube is the clearest case in point: advertising remains a core part of its business as well as the creator economy. Google said it’s paid over $100B to creators, artists, and media companies over the last four years, demonstrating how ad revenue moves around the ecosystem.
Forced-view windows that are shorter could force advertisers toward creative that’s built for the first five seconds, heavy on branding, immediate value props, and hooks to earn continued viewing beyond the skippable threshold.
Anticipate more testing with sequencing, frequency capping, contextually targeted placements, and performance formats that reward attention rather than force it.
For creators, the net result will depend on how platforms reprice Vietnamese inventory. If long, non-skippable ads are replaced by skippable formats, effective CPMs might shift, but audience satisfaction and watch time (both positives for channels in the long game) could too. Brands might accept some loss in guaranteed exposure in exchange for better goodwill and less ad fatigue.
How Vietnam’s New Ad Rules Compare Globally
Around the world, regulators have tended to focus on ad load, disclosure, and targeting rather than mandating a specific skip-by time. The European Audiovisual Media Services Directive focuses on ceilings for advertising along with placement, rather than whether ads can be skipped. In the US and UK, code organisations stress transparency and ways of mitigating harm — once more without hard skip rules.
Vietnam is also more granular: it’s going after the specific pain point of forced-view length. If it takes off with consumers and doesn’t significantly dent platform revenues, it could set a bar for regulators in other fast-growing markets across Asia.
What Viewers in Vietnam Should Expect to See
After the rule goes into effect, users in Vietnam are likely to see an early skip option on major apps. This also extends to mobile and connected TV environments, where lengthy unskippable blocks of ads have been particularly conspicuous. There may be some leftover legacy inventory as platforms go through updating entire delivery systems, but large-scale changes typically roll out sooner rather than later in a regulated environment.
The broader lesson is straightforward: design counts in digital ads. The maximum length before skip is five seconds, attempting to strike the balance between brand reach and user control. If the experience is enhanced without gutting campaign results, policy in Vietnam could become a model for how the industry might recalibrate when thinking about attention, respect for user time, and what “fair” interruption looks like online.
Reporting references: Vietnam News reported on the five-second skip rule, and Android Authority first published on the coming change to video ad formats in the country.
