Latest Facebook Test Brings Autoplay Audio To News Feed Videos

It isn't exactly a secret that Facebook is continually trying to fine-tune the News Feed through various tweaks and tests, but the company has rolled out a new, small-scale test that leaves us scratching our heads. Some users in Australia might find that those autoplay videos that show up in News Feeds are now accompanied by, of all things, autoplay sound.

According to Mashable, this test includes all video – advertisements and Facebook Live broadcasts on top of shared videos – and will be rolling out in two different versions to mobile users. The first version seems to function like videos have all along, with audio muted at first and an option to turn on sound in the lower right corner of the video player, though the second will autoplay the audio right along with the video.

It should be noted that audio will only play automatically if your device's volume is on, meaning videos should stay quiet if your phone or tablet is silenced. Users also have the option of disabling autoplay sound entirely, though it really seems like muted audio should continue to be the rule instead of merely an option.

A Facebook spokesperson confirmed the test to Mashable, saying that this was just one of the test it's running to "improve the video experience for people on Facebook." We'll see how people react to the test in Australia, but it seems like most wouldn't be too thrilled by the idea of sound autoplaying along with video. At least, one would hope that's the case, otherwise we might see this feature roll out on a wider scale. Stay tuned.

SOURCE: Mashable