Good news, slack-jawed internet sheeple: researchers now believe that no matter how many unskippable 30-second advertisements they lard onto online videos, you'll continue to watch them, like the passive, yielding consumers you are. Your cat video addiction knows no bounds.

Whereas media companies have until now been tentative with slapping ads onto online videos—limiting themselves to one or two—the NYT reports today that you, the consumer, can actually tolerate much more marketing mixed into your free entertainment.

Research conducted by Turner suggested that programmers could surround the online streams of shows with even more ads than TV broadcasts have.

Regardless of the ad load, [the researcher] said in an interview, "people will spend approximately the same amount of time watching episodes online."

As many ads as TV, or more. Nothing will stop you from viewing your funny flickering pictures. Hey, they're free. Who are you to complain? Just sit there and take it. Tune everything else out. Relax. Open your mind. Look at the ad—it's funny, too. There we are. Nice.

[NYT. Photo: Shutterstock]