MySpace has updated the default action for user profiles to disable auto playing of music.
I'd like to think that they were thinking about the sanity of their users - but it sounds like it was a cost-control measure.
According to an article at the technology site TechCrunch:
Autoplays accounted for a billion or more song streams per month, and were costing MySpace a significant amount of money. Turning off that hose is a cost saving maneuver. This also has the benefit, sources say, of improving the user experience and providing labels with better listening data.
Whatever the reason, I'm glad I can browse MySpace again - safe in the knowledge that now one will know just how much I like 80's synthpop hair bands.
And for those of you that really like to automatically hear music when you browse websites, MySpace will let you opt-in to autoplay.
Link:
James Lewin
Twitter @podcasting_news
