Facebook has announced it will be cutting the streaming quality on its sites, including Instagram, to help reduce the stress on global broadband networks.
The social media giant is aiming to help ameliorate the stress being put on internet conections around the world as more people work from home due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The main Facebook site will be affected by the restriction, as will Instagram, with the new regulations being rolled out across Europe this week.
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Facebook streaming cut
“We are committed to working with our partners to manage any bandwidth constraints during this period of heavy demand, while also ensuring people are able to remain connected using Facebook apps and services,” said a Facebook spokesman.
Several other major streaming services have also limited services to try and minimise the strain on networks, with Netflix and YouTube taking such measures last week after a request by the European Union.
Brussels asked streaming services to limit content to standard definition - as opposed to high definition or 4K - and users to consider reducing data consumption.
Disney, Apple, and Amazon have also confirmed they will lower streaming quality. Domestic broadband is well equipped to handle evening traffic surges, but social distancing and quarantine policies introduced by governments across the globe are further aggravating these periods of high traffic.
Phone networks across the world have also seen traffic reach new highs across the past few weeks, with all the major UK operators seeing services strained.
Via: CityAM
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