Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, and other online streaming giants will reduce streaming quality in Europe for at least next month to avoid straining due to the huge demand.
Right now millions of people are working from home across the European to prevent coronavirus aka COVID-19 outbreak and its likely many millions of people will switch to teleworking and watching videos at home.
Earlier European Union urges YouTube and other streaming platforms to stop showing High definition quality videos to prevent the internet from breaking under the strain of unprecedented usage. European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton had a conversation with both Netflix and YouTube CEO to discuss this matter.
Important phone conversation with @ReedHastings, CEO of @Netflix
To beat #COVID19, we #StayAtHome
Teleworking & streaming help a lot but infrastructures might be in strain.
To secure Internet access for all, let’s #SwitchToStandard definition when HD is not necessary.
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 18, 2020
In response, both Netflix and YouTube, both companies said that they will continue working with member state governments and network operators to minimize stress on the system and will reduce streaming quality in Europe.
I welcome the very prompt action that #Netflix has taken to preserve the smooth functioning of the Internet during the #COVID19 crisis while maintaining a good experience for users 👇🏻🍿📺
CEO @reedhastings demonstrates a strong sense of #responsibilityhttps://t.co/FE2gUgIFuU
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 20, 2020
I warmly 👍🏻 the initiative that #Google takes to preserve the smooth functioning of the Internet during the #COVID19 crisis by having #YouTube switch all 🇪🇺 traffic to SD by default. @sundarpichai and @SusanWojcicki demonstrate strong responsibility.https://t.co/jMNhFFpsxa
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) March 20, 2020
However, It’s not clear if similar steps will be needed in the U.S. or other countries across the world.
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