Starting today, YouTube will reduce video quality worldwide to reduce Internet traffic during the coronavirus pandemic. Previously, this measure applied only to Europe.
By default, Youtube will display video in standard definition. But users will still be able to switch to a higher resolution if they want.
Earlier, the same measure was taken in Europe. Streaming services reduced their resolutions or bitrates after Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Domestic Market Streaming services, called for. In addition to YouTube, other services, including Netflix and TikTok (even though it is a video based social network) also responded to the call and lowered quality due to coronavirus.
The internet load has increased in recent weeks as hundreds of millions of people stay home to stop the spreading of the virus. And streaming video creates noticeably more traffic than sound recordings or normal web browsing.
