1585045 - Autoplay blocking is being evaded by some sites

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Core :: Audio/Video: Playback, defect, P3)

Description

[Colin Lee]

https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/4002#issuecomment-534013753

While many sites have correctly blocked autoplay of video, this particular site still seems to autoplay on initial site load in many cases even though autoplay is meant to be blocked. Even when the block succeeds, simply closing the tab and re-opening the site causes it to autoplay.

Here's a link to the example site:
https://www.bmw.com/en/innovation/the-development-of-self-driving-cars.html

Comment 1

[Chris Peterson [:cpeterson]]

Colin says Fenix blocks autoplay the first time but allows on subsequent loads. Desktop blocks autoplay correctly on these sites.

Comment 2

[Colin Lee]

It seems some other sites are also having this issue:
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/fenix/issues/5636

Comment 3

[Alastor Wu [:alwu]]

We do allow muted video to autoplay, if user want to block muted video as well, they can set "media.autoplay.default=5". As the BMW website [1] plays muted video, so it won't be blocked. Our current setting is to block audible autoplay media, but changing the value of the pref to 5 can block all media. [2]

[1] https://www.bmw.com/en/innovation/the-development-of-self-driving-cars.html
[2] https://searchfox.org/mozilla-central/rev/b6f088f2f68d2a8ae0b49d6c8fbd7cbd3a65fa5b/browser/app/profile/firefox.js#1514