EU Urges Online Media to Ditch HD During Coronavirus Pandemic

As online speeds have increased and screen resolution has improved, Web giants have increasingly supplied high definition footage.

EU Urges Online Media to Ditch HD During Coronavirus Pandemic

EU official warned that huge file sizes of broadcasts are slowing the Web

Highlights
  • EU urged streaming platforms to stream videos in standard definition
  • Whole world is facing an unprecedented situation: EU official
  • Many users are forced to work online from home
Advertisement

The European Union on Wednesday urged online media platforms to stream movies and entertainment in standard rather than high definition to relieve pressure on the Internet during the coronavirus epidemic.

As online speeds have increased and screen resolution has improved, web giants like Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO, and Amazon have increasingly supplied film lovers with high definition footage of their favourites.

But Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner for the internal market and digital economy, warns the huge file sizes of such broadcasts are slowing the Web just as many users are forced to work online from home.

"Europe and the whole world are facing an unprecedented situation," Breton said, after he held talks with Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.

"Governments have taken measures to reduce social interactions to contain the spread of COVID-19, and to encourage remote working and online education," he said.

"Streaming platforms, telecom operators and users, we all have a joint responsibility to take steps to ensure the smooth functioning of the Internet during the battle against the virus propagation."

Breton's office announced that EU regulators had set up a reporting mechanism to monitor internet traffic and react quickly if over-use threatens communications and the economy in Europe.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

DoT Addresses Surveillance Concerns Raised By COAI, Claims to Use Data to Resolve Call Drops
European Mobile Operators Share Data for Coronavirus Fight
Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat LinkedIn Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News

Advertisement

Follow Us
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »