Something I Hate

The image to the left doesn't contain a video. Don't click on it and get frustrated because it isn't an actual video. It's just a picture representing what could be a video. However, that action leads me to something that I'm seeing more and more often, and, quite frankly, I find it to be bothersome. I understand that sports networks and various websites own the rights to video, but does anyone else find the practice of embedding video that auto-plays to be highly annoying?

Look, I'm just one little blogger in the wilderness of the internet, so my pleas will go largely unheard and definitely will be unnoticed. I was taught long ago that embedding auto-playing video was poor etiquette in web design. I'm not sure when this etiquette changed, but I'm not a fan of it.

TSN, Sportsnet, NHL.com - they all do it now. I know that there is increasing pressure to win a viewer's loyalty, but embedding video that auto-plays is the best way to get me to not visit your site. I'm already scrolling past the video placeholder at the top of the page because I simply don't care about the video. I want to read what the staff of that particular site wrote. If I wanted to watch highlights, I'd grab the TV remote.

I'm already heading for the exit when I start scrolling past the video placeholder and the page freezes. I know what's coming next, and I'm not interested in having those around me know that I'm watching sports highlights. Hell, I don't even want to watch the highlight, yet the websites have to auto-play that video to get the commercial revenue! It's a load of garbage that I despise.

Speaking of commercial revenue, remember when YouTube was a place for videos WITHOUT commercials? It actually existed like that. I know it costs money for websites to run their little enterprises, but auto-playing video that have commercials at the start is one of my most hated things about the internet. There's a special place in hell for people who auto-play commercials unrelated to the website I'm visiting.

I always check the code before linking video here on HBIC to ensure that there is no auto-play feature. I would never force it upon you because I hate it, and I certainly enjoy you visiting. I'd hate my little corner of the internet if it auto-played video. HBIC has always maintained it is a blog "by the people, for the people, of the people", and I know this auto-play feature on some websites annoys you as well. Therefore, it won't happen on HBIC. Ever.

I know this article seems like an oddity on a hockey blog, but NHL.com really annoyed me tonight with this auto-play video crap when I was looking for some information. Put the option of watching the video back in your readers' hands. Generating income based on views of some commercial or whatever is terrible internet and your web designers know it. They just don't have the nerve to put their jobs on the line for it because that revenue is probably paying part of their salaries.

You can be better, internet. Stop auto-playing video.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!