No, Disney+ is not putting ads in ad-free content
No, Disney+ is not putting ads in ad-free content
The streamer kicked up a furor online over the weekend by updating its terms of service in Europe with new ad language, but we want to set the record straight.
Disney+ subscribers were understandably concerned over the weekend by a seemingly jaw-dropping update to its terms of service in Europe and the subsequent reporting about the change. The update explained that subscribers would now have to agree to allow Disney+ to show ads on every plan, even premium ad-free tiers that are increasingly expensive. But miffed Disney+ viewers can breathe a sigh of relief — Disney+ is not about to start packing ads into ad-free tiers in the United States — not yet, at least.
Key Details:
- Unwelcome update: Disney+ has altered its European terms of service to allow for promotions on ad-free tiers.
- No change: The American terms of service for Disney+ have allowed ads to be shown for years.
- Shrewd move: The language allows Disney+ to show ads during live content and promotions for other titles in its library.
Disney has updated its Disney+ subscriber agreement in Europe so that it clearly states subscribers must deal with ads on all tiers.
“We’ve clarified that all Service Plans may include: (i) promotional content, (ii) sponsorships, and (iii) advertisements before/after playback of Content and in channels, live/as-live, special events, and any third-party services content,” an email to European subscribers explained.
At first blush, many readers took this to mean that Disney+ would be inundating all tiers with ads, including those that had previously been considered ad-free. But a closer look at the language used indicates that viewers are unlikely to start seeing commercials in the middle of their chosen show or movie any time soon.
As to the stipulation that Disney+ may now show ads before and after playback of content, American viewers have already seen this in practice; I’m an ad-free Disney+ subscriber, and frequently see a skippable ad for another Disney+ title when I watch one of the streamer’s original series before starting playback. It’s mildly inconvenient, but essentially every streaming service does this with ad-free plans; it’s the streaming version of pre-movie trailers.
The American Disney+ subscriber agreement has included a provision that the service can show ads on ad-free tiers since it began airing live ESPN events. Last updated in February, the domestic subscriber agreement makes it clear that Disney+ may show ads or promotions during certain content on ad-free plans:
“Service Tiers described as “no ads” or “ad-free” are generally free of commercial interruptions, with certain exceptions that may change from time to time, including where: (i) streaming rights or other limitations require certain Content to play with ads; or (ii) ads are served in certain live or linear Content or special events (and replays thereof). Additionally, “no ads” or “ad-free” Service Tiers may contain limited promotional content, such as brief clips about the Bundles (including messages promoting an upgrade thereto) and other content available on any services associated with the Bundles, and branded content, product integrations, or sponsorship messaging.”
Live content on Disney+ does include ads, even for ad-free subscribers, but once again, this is a common practice in the streaming world. The language updates are intended to insulate Disney from legal challenges from viewers over showing ads on plans that are billed as ad-free. None of this is to say that streaming customers shouldn’t be annoyed by the creep of ads onto platforms over the years; most streamers were once completely ad-free, and consumers have every reason to feel misled by programmers with the introduction of ad plans. But despite the recent Disney+ terms of service update in Europe, domestic subscribers shouldn’t expect any major changes to the ad-free tier soon.
Disney+
Disney+ is a video streaming service with over 13,000 series and films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Muppets, and more. It is available in 61 countries and 21 languages. It is notable for its popular original series like “The Mandalorian,” “Ms. Marvel,” “Loki,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor.”