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With more people stuck at home, YouTube is lowering automatic video quality playback

You can still manually change it to HD, however.

Youtube logo on laptop showing content and subscribers
Image: Unsplash

With many of us stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak, it is only natural that more of us are spending time on things like Netflix and YouTube. It’s also putting more strain on the networks. Italy has already felt the effects, due in part to an increased amount of gamers.

Now, YouTube is doing its part to lessen the strain on networks, by lowering the auto-playing quality of videos on the platform. This comes from a new Bloomberg report.

For an entire month, starting this week, people that go on YouTube will be treated to standard definition video, regardless of the quality levels provided by the channel. That said, you’ll still be able to up the quality once on the video of your choice, but it will not autoplay at high definition.

Typically, video quality is based on the user’s own internet speeds.

In a statement to Bloomberg, a Google rep notes that the company is continuing “to work closely with governments and network operators around the globe to do our part to minimize stress on the system during this unprecedented situation.”

What do you think? Surprised by this news or are you glad to see Google doing this to minimize stress on the networks? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Former KnowTechie editor.

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