diff --git a/materialious/electron/package-lock.json b/materialious/electron/package-lock.json
index 1081eca8..6564b0ba 100644
--- a/materialious/electron/package-lock.json
+++ b/materialious/electron/package-lock.json
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 {
 	"name": "Materialious",
-	"version": "1.8.10",
+	"version": "1.9.0",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "Materialious",
-			"version": "1.8.10",
+			"version": "1.9.0",
 			"license": "MIT",
 			"dependencies": {
 				"@capacitor-community/electron": "^5.0.0",
 				"bgutils-js": "^3.2.0",
-				"capacitor-nodejs": "https://github.com/EdenwareApps/Capacitor-NodeJS/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.7/capacitor6-nodejs.tgz",
+				"capacitor-nodejs": "https://github.com/hampoelz/capacitor-nodejs/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.8/capacitor-nodejs.tgz",
 				"chokidar": "~4.0.3",
 				"electron-is-dev": "~2.0.0",
 				"electron-serve": "~1.1.0",
@@ -1799,10 +1799,13 @@
 			}
 		},
 		"node_modules/capacitor-nodejs": {
-			"version": "1.0.0-beta.7",
-			"resolved": "https://github.com/EdenwareApps/Capacitor-NodeJS/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.7/capacitor6-nodejs.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha512-7NwSMxE06nqpuFKyQlt3mWo+VG6Od0d6PBxPKVyPmaptE6sSoimzU/uzQXPWoHV5bwbjgcF+R0BSJAZAyy4gsg==",
+			"version": "1.0.0-beta.8",
+			"resolved": "https://github.com/hampoelz/capacitor-nodejs/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.8/capacitor-nodejs.tgz",
+			"integrity": "sha512-VAMCTBqz+sA3762kFhSyzXS0unm0EpsVSHLmDYsTYPTiXXZaFcGk27vfXakRyyXJexAUG2Y5rZka5BvH6EmeZw==",
 			"license": "MIT",
+			"engines": {
+				"node": ">=20.10"
+			},
 			"peerDependencies": {
 				"@capacitor/core": "^6.0.0"
 			}
diff --git a/materialious/electron/package.json b/materialious/electron/package.json
index ed774a7e..f9990e30 100644
--- a/materialious/electron/package.json
+++ b/materialious/electron/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 	"dependencies": {
 		"@capacitor-community/electron": "^5.0.0",
 		"bgutils-js": "^3.2.0",
-		"capacitor-nodejs": "https://github.com/EdenwareApps/Capacitor-NodeJS/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.7/capacitor6-nodejs.tgz",
+		"capacitor-nodejs": "https://github.com/hampoelz/capacitor-nodejs/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.8/capacitor-nodejs.tgz",
 		"chokidar": "~4.0.3",
 		"electron-is-dev": "~2.0.0",
 		"electron-serve": "~1.1.0",
@@ -44,4 +44,4 @@
 		"capacitor",
 		"electron"
 	]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/ChannelThumbnail.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/ChannelThumbnail.svelte
index 0d8addc1..0ee518f5 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/ChannelThumbnail.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/ChannelThumbnail.svelte
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	import { _ } from 'svelte-i18n';
 	import { get } from 'svelte/store';
 	import type { Channel } from '../api/model';
-	import { truncate } from '../misc';
+	import { insecureRequestImageHandler, truncate } from '../misc';
 	import { interfaceLowBandwidthMode } from '../store';
 
 	interface Props {
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
 	onMount(async () => {
 		if (get(interfaceLowBandwidthMode)) return;
 
-		const img = new Image();
-		img.src = proxyGoogleImage(getBestThumbnail(channel.authorThumbnails));
-
+		const img = await insecureRequestImageHandler(
+			proxyGoogleImage(getBestThumbnail(channel.authorThumbnails))
+		);
 		img.onload = () => {
 			channelPfp = img;
 		};
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/Comment.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/Comment.svelte
index 2f3dc9ad..c275d7eb 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/Comment.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/Comment.svelte
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 	import { getBestThumbnail, proxyGoogleImage } from '$lib/images';
 	import { numberWithCommas } from '$lib/numbers';
 	import { interfaceLowBandwidthMode } from '$lib/store';
+	import { onMount } from 'svelte';
 	import CommentSelf from './Comment.svelte';
+	import { insecureRequestImageHandler } from '$lib/misc';
 
 	interface Props {
 		comment: Comment;
@@ -36,16 +38,28 @@
 
 		return processedHtml;
 	}
+
+	let userPfp = $state('');
+	onMount(async () => {
+		if ($interfaceLowBandwidthMode) return;
+		const img = await insecureRequestImageHandler(
+			proxyGoogleImage(getBestThumbnail(comment.authorThumbnails))
+		);
+
+		img.onload = () => {
+			userPfp = img.src;
+		};
+	});
 </script>
 
 <div class="comment">
 	{#if !$interfaceLowBandwidthMode}
 		<div class="comment-header">
-			<img
-				class="circle small"
-				src={proxyGoogleImage(getBestThumbnail(comment.authorThumbnails))}
-				alt="comment profile"
-			/>
+			{#if userPfp}
+				<img class="circle small" src={userPfp} alt="comment profile" />
+			{:else}
+				<progress class="circle"></progress>
+			{/if}
 			<div class="comment-info">
 				<a href={`/channel/${comment.authorId}`} class="author">
 					<span class="bold" class:channel-owner={comment.authorIsChannelOwner}>
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/HashtagThumbnail.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/HashtagThumbnail.svelte
index dfe6ec39..4e4ebbbe 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/HashtagThumbnail.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/HashtagThumbnail.svelte
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 	}
 
 	let { hashtag }: Props = $props();
-
-	let channelPfp: HTMLImageElement | undefined;
 </script>
 
 <a href={hashtag.url} class="wave" style="min-width: 100%;min-height: 100%;">
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/PlaylistThumbnail.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/PlaylistThumbnail.svelte
index 5b80f2e0..649b7f38 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/PlaylistThumbnail.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/PlaylistThumbnail.svelte
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	import { _ } from 'svelte-i18n';
 	import { get } from 'svelte/store';
 	import type { Playlist } from '../api/model';
-	import { truncate } from '../misc';
+	import { insecureRequestImageHandler, truncate } from '../misc';
 	import { interfaceLowBandwidthMode } from '../store';
 
 	interface Props {
@@ -21,20 +21,23 @@
 
 	const playlistLink = `/playlist/${playlist.playlistId}`;
 
-	onMount(() => {
+	onMount(async () => {
 		if (get(interfaceLowBandwidthMode)) return;
 
-		img = new Image();
+		let imgSrc = '';
+
 		if (playlist.videos.length > 0) {
-			img.src = getBestThumbnail(playlist.videos[0].videoThumbnails) || '';
+			imgSrc = getBestThumbnail(playlist.videos[0].videoThumbnails) || '';
 		} else if (playlist.playlistThumbnail) {
-			img.src = playlist.playlistThumbnail;
+			imgSrc = playlist.playlistThumbnail;
 		} else {
-			img.src = '';
+			imgSrc = '';
 			loading = false;
 			return;
 		}
 
+		img = await insecureRequestImageHandler(imgSrc);
+
 		img.onload = () => {
 			loading = false;
 		};
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/Settings/Interface.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/Settings/Interface.svelte
index dec82064..58509765 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/Settings/Interface.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/Settings/Interface.svelte
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 		interfaceAutoExpandComments,
 		interfaceAutoExpandDesc,
 		interfaceDefaultPage,
-		interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars,
 		interfaceForceCase,
 		interfaceLowBandwidthMode,
 		interfaceRegionStore,
@@ -171,22 +170,6 @@
 	</div>
 {/if}
 
-<div class="field no-margin">
-	<nav class="no-padding">
-		<div class="max">
-			<div>{$_('layout.displayThumbnailAvatars')}</div>
-		</div>
-		<label class="switch">
-			<input
-				type="checkbox"
-				bind:checked={$interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars}
-				onclick={() => interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars.set(!$interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars)}
-			/>
-			<span></span>
-		</label>
-	</nav>
-</div>
-
 <div class="field no-margin">
 	<nav class="no-padding">
 		<div class="max">
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/components/Thumbnail.svelte b/materialious/src/lib/components/Thumbnail.svelte
index 55e70ebd..4eaf991c 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/components/Thumbnail.svelte
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/components/Thumbnail.svelte
@@ -1,18 +1,17 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-	import { getBestThumbnail, proxyGoogleImage } from '$lib/images';
+	import { getBestThumbnail } from '$lib/images';
 	import { letterCase } from '$lib/letterCasing';
 	import { cleanNumber, videoLength } from '$lib/numbers';
 	import { onDestroy, onMount } from 'svelte';
 	import { _ } from 'svelte-i18n';
 	import { get } from 'svelte/store';
-	import { getChannel, getDeArrow, getThumbnail, getVideoProgress } from '../api';
+	import { getDeArrow, getThumbnail, getVideoProgress } from '../api';
 	import type { Notification, PlaylistPageVideo, Video, VideoBase } from '../api/model';
-	import { truncate } from '../misc';
+	import { insecureRequestImageHandler, truncate } from '../misc';
 	import type { PlayerEvents } from '../player';
 	import {
 		authStore,
 		deArrowEnabledStore,
-		interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars,
 		interfaceLowBandwidthMode,
 		playerSavePlaybackPositionStore,
 		syncPartyConnectionsStore,
@@ -29,8 +28,6 @@
 
 	let { video = $bindable(), playlistId = '', sideways = $bindable(false) }: Props = $props();
 
-	let authorImg: HTMLImageElement | undefined = $state();
-
 	let placeholderHeight: number = $state(0);
 
 	let watchUrl = new URL(`${location.origin}/watch/${video.videoId}`);
@@ -64,24 +61,9 @@
 
 		if (window.innerWidth <= 1500) {
 			sideways = false;
-			if (typeof authorImg === 'undefined') loadAuthor();
 		} else sideways = true;
 	}
 
-	async function loadAuthor() {
-		if (!get(interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars)) return;
-
-		try {
-			const channel = await getChannel(video.authorId, { priority: 'low' });
-			const loadedPfp = new Image();
-			loadedPfp.src = proxyGoogleImage(getBestThumbnail(channel.authorThumbnails, 75, 75));
-
-			loadedPfp.onload = () => {
-				authorImg = loadedPfp;
-			};
-		} catch {}
-	}
-
 	onMount(async () => {
 		calcThumbnailPlaceholderHeight();
 
@@ -95,16 +77,9 @@
 
 		if (get(interfaceLowBandwidthMode)) return;
 
-		// Load author details in background.
-		if (!sideways) {
-			loadAuthor();
-		}
-
 		let imageSrc = getBestThumbnail(video.videoThumbnails) as string;
 
 		if (get(deArrowEnabledStore)) {
-			let locatedThumbnail = false;
-
 			try {
 				const deArrow = await getDeArrow(video.videoId);
 				for (const title of deArrow.titles) {
@@ -119,16 +94,13 @@
 						if (thumbnail.timestamp !== null) {
 							imageSrc = await getThumbnail(video.videoId, thumbnail.timestamp);
 						}
-						locatedThumbnail = true;
 						break;
 					}
 				}
 			} catch {}
 		}
 
-		const img = new Image();
-		img.src = imageSrc;
-
+		const img = await insecureRequestImageHandler(imageSrc);
 		img.onload = () => {
 			thumbnail = img;
 		};
@@ -225,15 +197,6 @@
 	</div>
 
 	<div class="thumbnail-details video-title">
-		{#if !sideways && !$interfaceLowBandwidthMode && $interfaceDisplayThumbnailAvatars}
-			<div style="margin-right: 1em;">
-				{#if authorImg}
-					<img src={authorImg.src} alt="Author" class="circle small" />
-				{:else}
-					<progress style="padding: 15px;" class="circle small"></progress>
-				{/if}
-			</div>
-		{/if}
 		<div class="video-title">
 			<a
 				style="padding-left: 1px;"
diff --git a/materialious/src/lib/misc.ts b/materialious/src/lib/misc.ts
index f33c18c0..ab1c4ca2 100644
--- a/materialious/src/lib/misc.ts
+++ b/materialious/src/lib/misc.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { page } from '$app/stores';
 import he from 'he';
 import type Peer from 'peerjs';
 import { get } from 'svelte/store';
-import { instanceStore } from './store';
+import { instanceStore, interfaceAllowInsecureRequests } from './store';
 
 export function truncate(value: string, maxLength: number = 50): string {
 	return value.length > maxLength ? `${value.substring(0, maxLength)}...` : value;
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@ export function decodeHtmlCharCodes(str: string): string {
 
 export function proxyVideoUrl(source: string): string {
 	const rawSrc = new URL(source);
-	rawSrc.host = get(instanceStore).replace('http://', '').replace(
-		'https://',
-		''
-	);
+	rawSrc.host = get(instanceStore).replace('http://', '').replace('https://', '');
 
 	return rawSrc.toString();
 }
@@ -46,14 +43,11 @@ export async function peerJs(peerId: string): Promise<Peer> {
 	if (typeof PeerInstance === 'undefined') {
 		PeerInstance = (await import('peerjs')).Peer;
 	}
-	return new PeerInstance(
-		peerId,
-		{
-			host: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_HOST || '0.peerjs.com',
-			path: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_PATH || '/',
-			port: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_PORT || 443
-		}
-	);
+	return new PeerInstance(peerId, {
+		host: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_HOST || '0.peerjs.com',
+		path: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_PATH || '/',
+		port: import.meta.env.VITE_DEFAULT_PEERJS_PORT || 443
+	});
 }
 
 export function ensureNoTrailingSlash(url: any): string {
@@ -61,3 +55,19 @@ export function ensureNoTrailingSlash(url: any): string {
 
 	return url.endsWith('/') ? url.slice(0, -1) : url;
 }
+
+export async function insecureRequestImageHandler(source: string): Promise<HTMLImageElement> {
+	const img = new Image();
+	if (get(interfaceAllowInsecureRequests)) {
+		const imgResp = await fetch(source);
+		if (!imgResp.ok) {
+			img.src = '';
+		}
+
+		img.src = URL.createObjectURL(await imgResp.blob());
+	} else {
+		img.src = source;
+	}
+
+	return img;
+}