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The data issue can be addressed by only having videos play automatically when the user is on a wifi connection. This is the default for mobile devic

The data issue can be addressed by only having videos play automatically when the user is on a wifi connection. This is the default for mobile devices already, so it's arguably already solved for most users. Not all WiFi connections equate to an infinite amount of data. Due to circumstances I am on a connection for which I pay per GB and it's shared through a WiFi router. I do not want my browser to download videos unless I asked it to.

egeozcan 10y ago
I have a 3G Mobile Wireless Modem/Router (TP-Link M5250[1], heavily recommended btw) and this "if wireless connection present, download all the things" attitude really annoys me. Android is a big offender. Why on earth I don't get a "download updates automatically only on this particular network" setting... Whatsapp, Google Maps and many other apps too make the same false assumption. [1]: http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-4692_M5250.html http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-4692_M5250.ht...
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- metasean 10y ago
  Google Chrome is another auto-update offender. Inevitably it updates while I'm tethered to my phone (which has a small data allowance).
- kpozin 10y ago
  You can configure Android to treat any specific WiFi network as metered, so apps that care will treat it the same as a mobile network. Look in Settings > Data usage > Wi-Fi > Network restrictions (might be in an overflow menu).
onion2k 10y ago
That's why I said most users. There are a small number of people to whom wifi doesn't mean unlimited data. I don't think browsers defaults should be be designed with those people in mind though - the default settings should be to provide the best experience for the maximum number of people. Anyone who is outside the norm for whatever reason should be able to exert control over their browser, so obviously you should have the option to block videos autoplaying, or downloading at all, in the browser settings. Whether that should be in the settings page or a flags page is what browser vendors should be thinking hard about. Arguably this is a behaviour that enough people want to control that it should be in the settings page.

egeozcan 10y ago

I have a 3G Mobile Wireless Modem/Router (TP-Link M5250[1], heavily recommended btw) and this "if wireless connection present, download all the things" attitude really annoys me. Android is a big offender. Why on earth I don't get a "download updates automatically only on this particular network" setting... Whatsapp, Google Maps and many other apps too make the same false assumption. [1]: http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-4692_M5250.html http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-4692_M5250.ht...

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
metasean 10y ago
Google Chrome is another auto-update offender. Inevitably it updates while I'm tethered to my phone (which has a small data allowance).
kpozin 10y ago
You can configure Android to treat any specific WiFi network as metered, so apps that care will treat it the same as a mobile network. Look in Settings > Data usage > Wi-Fi > Network restrictions (might be in an overflow menu).

onion2k 10y ago

That's why I said most users. There are a small number of people to whom wifi doesn't mean unlimited data. I don't think browsers defaults should be be designed with those people in mind though - the default settings should be to provide the best experience for the maximum number of people. Anyone who is outside the norm for whatever reason should be able to exert control over their browser, so obviously you should have the option to block videos autoplaying, or downloading at all, in the browser settings. Whether that should be in the settings page or a flags page is what browser vendors should be thinking hard about. Arguably this is a behaviour that enough people want to control that it should be in the settings page.