Gmail has started showing more annoying ads in the middle of some users’ inboxes.
Several screenshots posted on Twitter show promotional messages mixed with real emails on the web version of Gmail, and users are not very happy about it.
Although Gmail has been placing ads at the top of the Promotions and Social section inboxes for a long time, it had never inserted them between messages.
The new positioning makes it even more confusing to distinguish between real emails and advertisements, even though the ads show a small green icon next to them. It’s not clear if this is a test or a phased release.
Additionally, in recent weeks, some users of the Gmail mobile app have also started seeing ads with unsightly full-size images in their inboxes.
In response to a user’s concerns on Twitter about placing ads in the middle of the inbox, the official Gmail account vaguely said it “doesn’t sound good” and directed them to a support page that explains how ads work.