Autoplay is maybe not as grating as Auto-Tune, but it sure is annoying.
Social networks have been quick to add the “feature” to their offerings, with the sound on by default unless you take action. On Twitter, videos and GIFs automatically play in your Twitter timeline as you scroll, just as they do on Facebook and Instagram, though you still need to tap for sound on Twitter and Instagram.
It’s the price you pay for a free service, but there are other drawbacks. On mobile, the constant looping can eat into your data and drain your battery. But you do have the option to turn it off or reduce usage.
You can turn off autoplay videos on Twitter.com or on mobile.
On Twitter.com, go to your profile, select Settings > Account > Video Tweets, and uncheck Video autoplay.
On iOS and Android devices, go to Settings > Data Usage > Video autoplay and select Never Play Videos Automatically, or choose to feature autoplay only when you’re on Wi-Fi to save data.
Autoplay in Facebook means views, views, views, so the company is unlikely to turn it off. In fact, Facebook recently enhanced autoplay by unmuting the audio as you scroll, so that BuzzFeed video or home movie might suddenly come alive during your commute or another inopportune time.
This story is from the April 2017 edition of PC Magazine.
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This story is from the April 2017 edition of PC Magazine.
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