Facebook videos

[RobbieW]

I just read an announcement on Facebook that videos in your 'news feed' will now be preloaded and play silently until clicked on then the sound turns on. There is currently an opt out for tablet/smartphone users to turn this feature off unless using WiFi to limit mobile data usage, but there seems to be no opt out for any other type of user.

On board we connect through a MiFi box so appear to use WiFi but are actually on a data limited mobile connection, as I suspect some (many?) liveaboards do. I will now be monitoring our data usage closely to try and figure out what effect this change will have. We both use Facebook to stay in touch with friends everywhere so having to change will be a pain.

In part this is a 'heads up' for everyone who may be affected. Its also a request that anyone who finds ways to manage this feature to let us know.

 

[elton]

They really are a bunch of cretins at facebook. They change something every week, for no real reason.

 

[Hadenough]

Who are the cretins? Facebook or the people who use it?. What on earth is the point of it?

 

[NornaBiron]

Who are the cretins? Facebook or the people who use it?. What on earth is the point of it?

Well, that's nice, I don't think I've ever been called a cretin before!

 

[Forbsie]

I've noticed this in the past couple of days. In the Videos setting, it looks as if you may now be able to turn it off.

It comes up with a message:- Note: This setting only applies when you use Facebook on your computer. Go to your phone's settings to change auto-play videos in your Facebook app.

They may have thought better of it. I'll keep monitoring it as up to now I have kept exiting Facebook.

 

[concentrik]

There's a tick box in >settings on your smartphone facebook app. Tick it 'on' to make sure the app only auto plays when on wifi, not 3G

 

[RobbieW]

There's a tick box in >settings on your smartphone facebook app. Tick it 'on' to make sure the app only auto plays when on wifi, not 3G

i. Only useful if you have a smartphone or tablet &
ii. only useful when you connect direct through 3G, connecting via Wifi to 3G doesnt tick the box