Netflix and YouTube are slowing down in Europe to keep the internet from breaking

Netflix and YouTube will reduce streaming quality in Europe for at least the next month to prevent the internet collapsing under the strain of unprecedented usage due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Both companies said the measures will affect all video streams for 30 days.
"We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25% while also ensuring a good quality service for our members," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Google (GOOGL), which owns YouTube, said: "We will continue working with member state governments and network operators to minimize stress on the system, while also delivering a good user experience."
The announcement followed appeals from EU officials for streaming services and individual users to ditch high definition video to prevent the internet from breaking. With so many countries on forced lockdowns to fight the spread of the virus, hundreds of millions working from home and even more children out of school, the officials were concerned about the huge strain on the internet.