Does anyone know how to stop videos from automatically playing at CNN.com?

[GabeU]

Almost every time you click to read a story on their website a video starts playing as well.  I've been unplugging the LAN cable to stop it, but this is starting to get really annoying.  I've changed the plug in settings under Chrome to "Let me choose when to run plugin content," but that doesn't do anything for this.  I wrote to CNN about this issue, but I highly doubt they care. 

Any ideas?   

[Gwalk900]

Hi Gabe,
Try this:

In Google Chrome:

1. Go to Preferences > (Settings)
2. Click on Advanced Settings at the bottom of the page.
3. Go to Privacy > Content Settings.
4. Go to Plugins > Manage Exceptions.
5. Create a New Exception: [*.]cnn.com.
6. Make the behavior = “Block”
7. Click “Done” twice to close the windows, then close the tab and relaunch Chrome.
8. 
   

[GabeU]

Oh, man, you are a life saver!  Well, a data saver, to be more precise.  If I could like your comment ten times I would.  Now I'll be able to read some articles without all of my data being needlessly sucked away.  Thanks a million!   

[Gwalk900]

Hopefully that will work for you.
I have very little personal experience with Chrome ... because it is ..... Google.
I do have it installed on a couple of testbed drives but my day to day experience with it is limited.

[GabeU]

It worked.  Actually, the only thing I use Chrome for is sites that load the way CNN does, plus one other thing.  When using IE, sometimes a page will partially load, then lock until every single thing is completely loaded on the entire page.  Chrome lets me read it instantly, never locking up like that.  I only use it for that and paying my Hughesnet bill with the not logging in method.  For some reason I can't use IE to pay their bill as it says some add on is blocking the page, though I have spent a couple of hours trying everything I can think of, and I mean everything, to get it to work, without success.  I use IE for everything else.

Again, though, I appreciate the help.  I'm sure it will save me many MBs and allow me to read an article without worrying about it.      

[Pawnee County]

Hey Gabe I tried what gwalk said in chrome it slowed down auto play but did not stop it fully.  I switched to Opera and set it to never auto play and haven't had one auto play since.  I also noticed Opera runs a ton smoother than Chrome and  pages lode a gob quicker as well.

[GabeU]

Interesting.  It stopped it fully for me. 

I used Opera back in the early 2000s almost exclusively.  I tried it again a couple of years back but I didn't care for it that much.  I know I will end up changing to something other than IE 11 for my regular usage, as this is the last IE release, but I don't really know whether it will be Chrome or Firefox.  I'm already used to Chrome from using it for what I mentioned, so it might be that.   

[BirdDog]

Ad Blocker Plus works for me. First time a video starts to pay, select block an element in ABP menu and mouse click on the video. Video doesn't play anymore even if they change location on the page. At least that's how it has worked for me.

[Pawnee County]

I did use Opera a while back and didn't care for it to much.  The newest version is really slick it plays videos far better that Firefox or Chrome ever did for me.  If I wanted to play a long video like a Star Trek episode or something I would have to let it run paused for a while or it would buffer.  With Opera I can click on it and let it go it very seldom buffers even during peak hours like mid afternoon.  Another thing I had to get use to is it runs your Home Page in a tab while it loads the page you want.  I use google.com for home page and if I find something I want to go and research with google all I have to do is open the other tab and type it in.

[Pawnee County]

Damn did I spell load lode gee whiz.