Google's YouTube said Friday that it has agreed to reduce its streaming quality in Europe, including the U.K., to standard definition for the next month to help avoid internet congestion amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The move, in response to a request from EU Internal Market and Services Commissioner Thierry Breton, comes a day after Netflix unveiled a similar initiative.
High definition streams require more online bandwidth, potentially causing broadband congestion during peak times. Breton, a high-ranking member of the European Union, earlier this week had called on streaming video giants to do their part as more people are forced to stay home and work or learn from there to prevent the spread of coronavirus despite limited evidence so