Google Chrome: blocking Speech Synthesis API audio autoplay

[harlan4096]

Google Chrome will block audio autoplay on websites that use the Speech Synthesis API in version 71 of the browser.

Google's stance on autoplaying content in Chrome is relatively straightforward: autoplay with sound is only allowed if the Chrome user interacted with the site previously. Currently, Chrome uses a Media Engagement Index on desktop that may allow autoplay on sites even if the user did not interact with the site during the active browsing session.

The Speech Synthesis API, an API for creating text-to-speech output, is not subject to this policy.  When you visit the linked test site, you will notice that Chrome will play audio on page load automatically.

Full reading: https://www.ghacks.net/2018/11/21/google...-autoplay/