Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for a shared media experience. Multiple client devices are associated with a group for a shared media experience, such as watching a YouTube video together. The client devices subscribe to a publication/subscription (pub/sub) server that publishes updates for the shared media experience for the client devices. Thus, when a client device makes a change in the shared media experience, such as making a comment, pausing the video, skipping forward or backward, adjusting the volume, inserting an audio or video annotation, tagging the video, switching to a different piece of media, and so forth, the client device notifies a management server. The management server pushes that change to the pub/sub server, which publishes the change to the group. As the changes propagate to the clients, the client software modifies the client side experience accordingly.

Abstract: Video content delivery method is provided for operating in a network environment to display online content, including television content on a media device through a Web browser having an application program interface (API), at least in part to emulate a television viewing experience. Online content is received at a server from content source(s) and delivered to users in response to receiving a content request at the server. Requested online content is transmitted to the Web browser, instructions are provided to store the online content in the API of the Web browser. Online content is rendered from the API to the Web browser graphical user interface (GUI) and the online content is asynchronously updated between the server and the Web browser while rendering of the online content, at least in part to emulate a television viewing experience. Instructions are provided for storing the state information from the GUI to the API.