YouTube lowers streaming quality due to coronavirus pandemic

After Netflix, YouTube is the next major company to lower the quality of its streaming service in an attempt to reduce the strain on the internet following the coronavirus pandemic. Reuters reports that YouTube announced today plans to reduce its streaming quality in Europe, as many people are now constrained to work from home.

The company said in a statement that it is “making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default.” If you live in Europe and see that your YouTube video is streamed in SD quality, then this is why.

YouTube's decision, just like in Netflix's case, comes after European Union officials asked streaming platforms to try and reduce their load on Europe's infrastructure to avoid internet disruptions.

This is a temporary solution that only affects European countries, but it might be imposed in other regions as well if required. Many carriers across the continent reported a spike in data traffic, including those in North America, but most European network operators claim they have no issues at the moment handling the increased demand.