On Friday, October 3, 2025 (note: originally September 22nd), any existing or newly added YouTube videos embedded in Canvas may begin showing advertisements and video recommendations, potentially disrupting the learning experience. This change comes as part of YouTube’s updated integration policies, and it’s important for educators and instructional designers to prepare accordingly. Please note that these ads are controlled by YouTube and cannot be disabled within Canvas.
What’s Changing?
YouTube videos embedded directly in Canvas will no longer be ad-free. This means:
Viewers may see ads, suggested videos, and links back to YouTube. The viewing experience may become less focused and more distracting.
On October 3, 2025, there will be a message overlay displayed on YouTube videos in Canvas to alert viewers that ads may be displayed. This message will display before playing the video on the browser. On the Canvas mobile apps, the message will be displayed at the top of the page.
Why Kaltura Helps?
To provide a cleaner, ad-free viewing experience for students, we recommend using Kaltura to embed YouTube videos in Canvas. See the help articles below:
If You Choose to Use Direct YouTube Links…
If you prefer to continue using direct YouTube links or embeds, please consider adding a disclaimer to your course:
“Some videos may display advertisements. These ads are not affiliated with or endorsed by Georgia Institute of Technology.”
This helps to clarify with students that any ads shown are outside of Georgia Tech’s control.
If you have any questions, please contact the Digital Learning Team at canvas@gatech.edu.