Google Chrome to Silence Annoying Auto-Play Videos

[Katzenfreund]

August 27, 2015

Ever open a site in a new browser tab expecting to check it out when you have a free minute? Of course you have.

How annoying is it when that site happens to have a video or ad on it that starts playing automatically? Now you have to stop what you're doing and go over to that tab just to shut up the dang video.

Fortunately, this shouldn't be an issue with Google Chrome anymore. The browser will now "defer playback of autoplay media" until you actually visit that tab, Google's Francois Beaufort announced Wednesday. At this point, the feature is only available in the latest Chrome Dev build, but will likely make its ways to the Stable version soon.

With this feature, Chrome will still pre-load the video, so it will be all set to go when you're ready, but the browser will delay the start of playback until you click on that tab.

"This means no more 'Where's that sound coming from?' moments when an ad for instance decides to autoplay in a tab you've specifically opened in the background," Beaufort wrote. On top of just quelling user annoyance, the feature actually conserves power since Chrome will now only consume power to play the video once the tab is in the foreground, he added.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2490222,00.asp

I find this particularly annoying if I'm listening to music on my computer while browsing and suddenly strange sounds break thru.

Tip:
In the meantime, you can do this:
Type "chrome://chrome/settings/content" into the URL bar. Then scroll down to the plug-in section, and select 'Let me choose when to run plugin content'.

 

[kiwi1960]

I have... one news site will give you a 5 second warning before auto playing AND when you are actually viewing that tab..... so its all good...

But the other... exactly as Katz described it.... but I'm sorry, that won't convince me to switched to Chrome....

 

[Katzenfreund]

Most likely you won't have to switch to Chrome. Browsers copy each other, and chances are the others will also implement the feature soon.

 

[kiwi1960]

True enough, Katz, a wise statement indeed.

I think that Google got off to a very bad start with their browser, and its now dead for many.

They paid bloggers and the like to speak highly of Chrome which is totally dishonest in my opinion...

But worse, its designed to spy on you, NOT the bad NSA spying, but the advertising kind. They want to know what sites you go to so they can target you with certain adverts, you can say others do that, but Chrome is worse... its like an advert filter... the best results you google wont be shown because they don't advertise on Google... to me, that is censorship.

Fire Fox has its problems.... yep, but its still better than Chrome.

 

[Katzenfreund]

Wile it can’t be denied that Google Chrome engages in systematic data collection, you don’t get away by using another browser, because using Google search does the same thing, albeit only on what you search for, not on what you visit directly. But eventually, it will know all about you and exploit it in its search results. And using Bing instead is probably no safer, knowing that MS are behind that.

As for using other search engines, not only they can’t compare in effectiveness, but also nobody can guarantee their conduct is impeccable, whatever they themselves may claim. After all they have expenses to cover too.

 

[kiwi1960]

Well, there I must disagree with you.

When its built it, like in Chrome, then it cannot be turned off... but with FireFox, as an example, it can be... by using any PUP detector.

I agree with you about the other search engines... I suppose you could always use TOR.

 

[Dr Pickles]

Hallelujah! Cannot wait for this annoying practice to end. I've had to use Ad Block Element Hider to excise the videos from many sites.

Also, the following site does excellent searches without tracking your IP.

https://ixquick.com/eng/

 

[Katzenfreund]

I can say that I have not experienced this problem.

Hallelujah! Cannot wait for this annoying practice to end.

Proof enough that it takes all sorts to make a world.

 

[Katzenfreund]

I wonder who guarantees that those claiming they respect your privacy actually respect what they claim. I mean, they’ve got your IP (country,language, OS, browser etc) and your search terms, as your inquiry goes thru their servers, and they don’t need any Java on your PC that could betray them. Who's to stop them from keeping (secret) records of them?

Alternatively, if they don’t collect data and don’t run ads, who pays for their service?

 

[kiwi1960]

Alternatively, if they don’t collect data and don’t run ads, who pays for their service?

I reckon the NSA should, they make use of what people google to keep track of them and what they are doing... so.... user pays.... right?

 

[Katzenfreund]

This post is in continuation to my previous one about search engines claiming they do no tracking, which should be read first.
And in fact, I’d go a step further and say, who assures us that the NSA/FBI guys aren’t behind such “anonymous” search engines? It’s an ideal way to catch people with their guards down, believing they’re not being watched.

Those guys probably know of every cat quote I’ve searched for and every cat pic I’ve downloaded. And one day they may come with all the evidence gathered and accuse me of racial discrimination against dogs.

 

[kiwi1960]

If they did, katz, we would never know about it. They would just ship you off to CATba..... sorry, Cuba...

 

[Katzenfreund]

If they did, katz, we would never know about it. They would just ship you off to CATba..... sorry, Cuba...

You probably will know, as they'll shut down my CATS site and confiscate the servers – good job they’re not mine.

 

[kiwi1960]

I doubt that would happen... unless your name is Kim Dotkatz....