yep. that's what it does. I used the 'bonus' trick for a few weeks, and then realized that I was being bombarded with ads all over youtube. It also took me longer than I like to think about to get my connections straightened out, and they can wave that movie thing at me all they want, I won't touch it again. Granted, you don't have to actually watch the bits (which are usually game promotions for Evony and the like), but it's still invasive as all get out.
I wonder if it would be more popular if we were given an opportunity to choose it to work randomly, at our level of participation rather than that of what Elvenar thinks we want...? Maybe make it work like a rocker switch, so that we could click it off when we chose to. It's become the gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving...
addendum: This is supposedly a carefully put together site, it would seem that options like this should BE options, not something that follows you around like a bored puppy, waiting for you to throw the ball throw the ball aw c'mon throw the ball...