Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#1

Post by geuis » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 8:48 AM UTC

I know there are plugins than can somewhat do this, but no solutions are universal or great.

Please update all of our browsers so that no automatic video/audio can play without user interaction/permission.

Its getting to be impossible to visit many sites today without being bombarded by video and sound playing by default on the web. In the worst cases such as on mobile browsers like iOS Safari, visiting a site will start playing media that kills whatever you're already listening to in another app.

This is eating up our data and inconveniencing millions of people using your products.

Please help us enable a better web.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#2

Post by r721 » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:29 AM UTC

At least "Click to play" setting for HTML5 audio/video would be great.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#3

Post by phobius » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:30 AM UTC

Agree this is an annoyance - how would you propose keeping features like YouTube or Netflix autoplay/playlists in this scenario?

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#4

Post by Tempest1981 » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:31 AM UTC

Or at least provide an option for autoplay, so savvy users can turn it off.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#5

Post by ffggvv » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:31 AM UTC

Ask this on their bug tracker.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#6

Post by massysett » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:32 AM UTC

This behavior is so bad that I have changed my browsing behavior. I visit only selected, trusted news sites, as "free" sites are horrible offenders here. Google is much less useful while on desktops as it is likely to return obnoxious websites.

So far I have not had a bad autoplay problem on iOS. However a growing problem is obnoxious pop up ads that are difficult to escape.

Overall more of my Internet usage is shifting to apps because the Web is just too annoying. Years ago the Web was like a friendly, boisterous marketplace in a safe town. Now it's like the street in "Casablanca" where I must constantly guard against someone picking my pocket. It's not worth using except for a few sites I trust.

Google in particular had better watch out. With Web hostility their search is not as useful. One reaction of theirs has been to pack more information directly into their search result.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#7

Post by ianai » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:32 AM UTC

I remember you had to click play on flash at one point. It was an option you could turn on in preferences. I'd love to have it back.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#8

Post by moepstar » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:32 AM UTC

Facebook is IMHO the biggest offender in that category, dozens of "in your face" videos no one asked explicitly for...

Luckily, there's a setting if you can be bothered - and luckily, for many marketing departments around the world many can't...

"Look, how many views our videos have on FB"...

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#9

Post by ffggvv » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:33 AM UTC

Tempest1981 wrote: post #4

Or at least provide an option for autoplay, so savvy users can turn it off.

You are so savvy that you can't even search online?

On firefox go to about:config and set media.autoplay.enabled to false.

Re: Dear Google, Apple, Mozilla, and MS: Please End Auto-Playing Media in Browsers

#10

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc » Sun, Nov 13, 2016, 10:35 AM UTC

Here is a chrome extension that mutes audio for all tabs except thw selected one: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/smart-tab-mute/dnf...