Google Search’s Upcoming Feature Might Annoy Users

A few internet users across the globe found something interesting going on with their Google Search results recently. They are now seeing their videos on Google search playing by themselves automatically.

How It Works

For most of the users, when you type a keyword in Google search, you get search results along with the video thumbnail in the ‘Knowledge’ panel on the right side of the page.

Previously, the video thumbnail had to be clicked if the user wants to play the video. However for some users, the video plays by itself without any interaction on their part now. This means the video will start playing automatically in the search results whether you want to see it or not.

Pretty annoying, isn’t it? Now you cannot search for a movie or some TV show without it being played automatically (though the feature is only applicable to a few test users for now).

On the right bottom, you can see the video thumbnail appearing.

This feature is already getting a lot of hatred from some users, but a good thing is; the video is muted by default. The users have to unmute it if they intend to hear it. Also, the autoplay works only once, therefore not playing the video in a loop.

Also another positive thing is, this is still a small-scale experiment only and not made global.

A Google spokesperson said:

We are constantly experimenting with ways to improve the search experience for our users, but have no plans to announce at this time.

Initially, this feature was added by Facebook by enabling automated video playing in the newsfeed. It received a huge backlash from the users after which the Facebook had to roll out an opt-out setting to disable playing the videos by default.

For Desktop users only

This automatic playing of video is being tested on Desktop users only for now. In mobile phones, you have to play the video by tapping on it.

This is to be noted that Google is radically changing its home page for the first time since 1996. Most of the movie trailers being auto-played are from different YouTube users who uploaded the videos and not even by the movie’s official distributor so Google might be seriously considering it as a way to monetize the search.



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