Adult entertainment websites Pornhub and YouPorn are temporarily reducing the quality of videos in France due to persistent problems with internet overuse as millions of people are stuck at home.
In a statement from Pornhub and YouPorn released Thursday, the sites announced that their videos would no longer automatically load in high definition, but in standard definition, citing similar video downgrading moves from Netflix, Facebook, and Amazon.
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“The decision comes in response to a request from Cédric O, French Minister of State for Digital, to preserve internet bandwidth and avoid straining the network, as many citizens work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic,” the release reads in part.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused millions of people to work and attend schools from home, leading to huge surges in internet use.
Use of video games and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu has also contributed to the internet crunch. (RELATED: INTERACTIVE: This Map Shows How Many Have Died From COVID-19 In Each State)
Adult video sites have taken an unusually outsize role in responding to the coronavirus crisis. Pornhub announced this week that it will donate 50,000 surgical face masks to fight against the virus, while YouPorn announced that it will donate $100,000.