Autoplay in Browsers

[Ben]

Have any of you noticed this?

I have always had video autoplay for websites toggled off in Firefox. I noticed recently that Fox News (among other sites, but Fox was the worst) started autoplaying on nearly every page. I finally said "WTF?" and went to ":config" and saw that autoplay was toggled on (the Firefox default).

Since I know I didn't do it, I'm wondering if either Firefox did it at the last update, which would be annoying, but whatever. Or worse - I wonder if there's something new out there that lets a website override that setting in your browser? Unlikely, but very concerning to me if that's possible.

There are times I really miss the web of the early 2000s, with the plain text and static images. 

[Hawkmoon]

Most likely Firefox reset the default with an update. They have a habit of doing stupid stuff like that.

[230RN]

An ongoing fury of mine is that Windows 7 updates always seem to change some of my settings.  Mostly annoying with fonts and mouse settings, but others.

Just remember.  It's no longer your computer.  It's akin to not having any border security and all kinds of reprobates and lowlifes get in and it's no longer your country.  (Couldn't resist making that analogy.  Sorry.)
 

Terry

[Ben]

Most likely Firefox reset the default with an update. They have a habit of doing stupid stuff like that.

Except they've never done it before, including the last big one. Autoplay is one of the more critical vulnerability areas, so you would think it would be on their "doublecheck" list.  It's still the most likely possibility, but I'm paranoid. :)

What I would be afraid of is hitting "play" on some video on a website somewhere, and that link running a background script that toggled :config autoplay to "true". Stuff being able to configure :config without my knowledge would be a pretty big security hole.

[Fly320s]

Have you tried resetting your router?  Our records show that you haven’t.   

[MikeB]

I'm normally against the death penalty since there seem to have been a large enough mistakes made over the years that raises concerns to me. However I think all members of a web development team that implement auto play on their website as well as the owner, president, board of directors etc. of any such entity should have the death penalty immediately performed as soon as one complaint of a website auto playing anything is reported. There is no good reason any website should ever autoplay anything, I'm perfectly capable of clicking the play button if I want to hear or see something on a page.

[Ben]

Have you tried resetting your router?  Our records show that you haven’t.   

 

[Andiron]

I'm normally against the death penalty since there seem to have been a large enough mistakes made over the years that raises concerns to me. However I think all members of a web development team that implement auto play on their website as well as the owner, president, board of directors etc. of any such entity should have the death penalty immediately performed as soon as one complaint of a website auto playing anything is reported. There is no good reason any website should ever autoplay anything, I'm perfectly capable of clicking the play button if I want to hear or see something on a page.

I find this an appropriate and perfectly reasonable response 

[Hawkmoon]

I'm normally against the death penalty since there seem to have been a large enough mistakes made over the years that raises concerns to me. However I think all members of a web development team that implement auto play on their website as well as the owner, president, board of directors etc. of any such entity should have the death penalty immediately performed as soon as one complaint of a website auto playing anything is reported. There is no good reason any website should ever autoplay anything, I'm perfectly capable of clicking the play button if I want to hear or see something on a page.

I agree with this statement and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[RocketMan]

I'm normally against the death penalty since there seem to have been a large enough mistakes made over the years that raises concerns to me. However I think all members of a web development team that implement auto play on their website as well as the owner, president, board of directors etc. of any such entity should have the death penalty immediately performed as soon as one complaint of a website auto playing anything is reported. There is no good reason any website should ever autoplay anything, I'm perfectly capable of clicking the play button if I want to hear or see something on a page.

This seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[KD5NRH]

There is no good reason any website should ever autoplay anything, I'm perfectly capable of clicking the play button if I want to hear or see something on a page.

This, especially when the same jackasses are so fond of the "subscribe to our newsletter" popover, so you're going to be stuck clicking crap anyway.

Or my favorite, the "you're running an adblocker" popover.  Congratulations, you just proved that I made the right choice.

Another thing I'd like to know; I've got a couple programs for volume leveling mp3 files, making entire folders of them play at the same average volume, so obviously computers are capable of figuring out how loud stuff is. Why in the hell can't I get something that will do that in realtime with streaming videos?  At least basic limiting for the ones who can't figure out how to turn up mic gain, but then have a 1,389 dB closing theme song.