YouTube under Corona is getting Fuzzy

YouTube will look a lot fuzzier for a month or potentially longer. Just like in Europe where many streaming companies start reducing their resolution to 720p and lower to free up bandwidth YouTube has decided to do the same here on its own shores as well as the rest of the world.

By default all videos will start playing in standard definition quality (480p). Users will have to manually select High Definition (720p) every time.

“We continue 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,” the company said in a statement to Bloomberg.

This is not going to be the last time we here this kind of thing. There are many governments that are planning for the worst and have some pretty extreme plans if bandwidth becomes an issue int he United States. Things like prioritization to work & education related bandwidth during the day and entertainment at night, which seems reasonable on its face, but dig deeper and if such control was allowed now, we may never get that control back once this is all over.

By Platform De.Central