Are auto-play videos on Facebook eating your data?

JOHANNESBURG – It seems Facebook really wants you to watch the videos that are often plastered all over your newsfeed, because now, they play automatically.

Victoria Taylor
BE AWARE: Facebook's new option of automatically playing videos as you scroll over them in your newsfeed could be the reason you're running out of cellular data faster than usual.

 

Facebook is already a black hole.

Often you’ll pop up on to see what’s potting and five hours later, find yourself commenting on pictures that are years old. The new default automatic video play setting is only adding to this distraction, as they’ll start playing the second you scroll over them.

While some Facebook users may find the new default setting or ‘perk’ quite entertaining, many are concerned over the amount of cellular data it is using while you scroll through your newsfeed on your smartphone.

https://twitter.com/_IslandEmpress_/status/647890144712765440

In an article by Forbes, it was revealed that the culprit for increased data charges was in fact Facebooks new automatic video play. Thankfully, there is a way to turn this off, or make sure that the videos only play when you are connected to Wi-Fi.

All you have to do is log in to Facebook on your PC and go to Setting. On the lower left hand side of the screen will be a Video option. Click on this, then select ‘Off’ on the Auto-Play Videos.

For Apple smartphones, go to your Settings app and select Facebook settings. Then select Auto-Play and set to ‘Wi-Fi only’ or turn it off completely.

Androids users can go to their Settings app, head to General Settings and set to ‘Wi-Fi only’ or turn it off completely.

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