diff --git a/src/analytics/metrics/types.ts b/src/analytics/metrics/types.ts
index f909767156..5aa3b00c5e 100644
--- a/src/analytics/metrics/types.ts
+++ b/src/analytics/metrics/types.ts
@@ -1397,6 +1397,41 @@ export type Events = {
     playlist: string
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The playable video was meaningfully visible. This is an exposure event,
+   * not proof that playback started. Fires once per mounted video item.
+   */
+  'video:impression': {
+    postUri?: string
+    postAuthorDid?: string
+    context: 'embed' | 'immersiveFeed'
+    presentation: 'video' | 'gif'
+  }
+  /**
+   * Playback advanced far enough to render the first frame. Preloading and
+   * merely becoming active do not count. Fires once per mounted video item;
+   * automatic loops do not produce another event.
+   */
+  'video:playback:start': {
+    postUri?: string
+    postAuthorDid?: string
+    context: 'embed' | 'immersiveFeed'
+    presentation: 'video' | 'gif'
+    autoplay: boolean
+  }
+  /**
+   * The user activated a third-party media player. Cross-origin players do
+   * not expose confirmed playback consistently, so this must not be treated
+   * as equivalent to video:playback:start without an explicit methodology.
+   */
+  'externalEmbed:playerActivated': {
+    postUri?: string
+    postAuthorDid?: string
+    source: string
+    playerType: string
+    mediaType: 'video' | 'audio' | 'gif' | 'other'
+  }
+
   // === Video upload funnel (Frontend Spec section D) ===
   // Every event carries uploadId (client-generated UUID, ties one upload
   // session end-to-end) + engine (compression engine id, e.g.
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/ExternalPlayer.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/ExternalPlayer.tsx
index 63c4236aa1..9f47bc8f1e 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/ExternalPlayer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/ExternalPlayer.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {useNavigation} from '@react-navigation/native'
 import {type NavigationProp} from '#/lib/routes/types'
 import {
   type EmbedPlayerParams,
+  getEmbedPlayerMediaType,
   getPlayerAspect,
 } from '#/lib/strings/embed-player'
 import {useExternalEmbedsPrefs} from '#/state/preferences'
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ import {EmbedConsentDialog} from '#/components/dialogs/EmbedConsent'
 import {Fill} from '#/components/Fill'
 import {KeepAwake} from '#/components/KeepAwake'
 import {PlayButtonIcon} from '#/components/video/PlayButtonIcon'
+import {useAnalytics} from '#/analytics'
 import {IS_NATIVE} from '#/env'
 import {type app} from '#/lexicons'
 
@@ -121,9 +123,11 @@ function Player({
 export function ExternalPlayer({
   link,
   params,
+  post,
 }: {
   link: app.bsky.embed.external.ViewExternal
   params: EmbedPlayerParams
+  post?: app.bsky.feed.defs.PostView
 }) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const navigation = useNavigation<NavigationProp>()
@@ -131,10 +135,31 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
   const windowDims = useWindowDimensions()
   const externalEmbedsPrefs = useExternalEmbedsPrefs()
   const consentDialogControl = useDialogControl()
+  const ax = useAnalytics()
 
   const [isPlayerActive, setIsPlayerActive] = useState(false)
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(true)
 
+  const activatePlayer = useCallback(() => {
+    if (!isPlayerActive) {
+      ax.metric('externalEmbed:playerActivated', {
+        postUri: post?.uri,
+        postAuthorDid: post?.author.did,
+        source: params.source,
+        playerType: params.type,
+        mediaType: getEmbedPlayerMediaType(params.type),
+      })
+    }
+    setIsPlayerActive(true)
+  }, [
+    ax,
+    isPlayerActive,
+    params.source,
+    params.type,
+    post?.author.did,
+    post?.uri,
+  ])
+
   const aspect = useMemo(() => {
     return getPlayerAspect({
       type: params.type,
@@ -202,14 +227,14 @@ export function ExternalPlayer({
         return
       }
 
-      setIsPlayerActive(true)
+      activatePlayer()
     },
-    [externalEmbedsPrefs, consentDialogControl, params.source],
+    [externalEmbedsPrefs, consentDialogControl, params.source, activatePlayer],
   )
 
   const onAcceptConsent = useCallback(() => {
-    setIsPlayerActive(true)
-  }, [])
+    activatePlayer()
+  }, [activatePlayer])
 
   return (
     <>
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/index.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/index.tsx
index a496780524..64940d710c 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/ExternalEmbed/index.tsx
@@ -27,11 +27,13 @@ import {GifEmbed} from './Gif'
 export const ExternalEmbed = ({
   link,
   onOpen,
+  post,
   style,
   hideAlt,
 }: {
   link: app.bsky.embed.external.ViewExternal
   onOpen?: () => void
+  post?: app.bsky.feed.defs.PostView
   style?: StyleProp<ViewStyle>
   hideAlt?: boolean
 }) => {
@@ -120,7 +122,11 @@ export const ExternalEmbed = ({
           {embedPlayerParams?.isGif ? (
             <ExternalGif link={link} params={embedPlayerParams} />
           ) : embedPlayerParams ? (
-            <ExternalPlayer link={link} params={embedPlayerParams} />
+            <ExternalPlayer
+              link={link}
+              params={embedPlayerParams}
+              post={post}
+            />
           ) : undefined}
 
           <View
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
index a8ea65a43b..c85409c3ec 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerNative.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {BlueskyVideoView} from '@bsky.app/video'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 
 import {HITSLOP_30} from '#/lib/constants'
+import {hasPlaybackStarted} from '#/lib/media/video/analytics'
 import {useAutoplayDisabled} from '#/state/preferences'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {AltBadgeWithDialog} from '#/components/AltBadgeWithDialog'
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
   setStatus,
   setIsLoading,
   setIsActive,
+  onPlaybackStart,
   onError,
 }: {
   ref: React.Ref<{togglePlayback: () => void}>
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
   setStatus: (status: 'playing' | 'paused') => void
   setIsLoading: (isLoading: boolean) => void
   setIsActive: (isActive: boolean) => void
+  onPlaybackStart: (autoplay: boolean) => void
   /**
    * Called with the native error message before the component throws to the
    * surrounding error boundary.
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
   const [muted, setMuted] = useVideoMuteState()
   const reportDialogMetadata = useReportDialogMetadataContext()
   const maxTimeRemainingSeconds = useRef(0)
+  const playbackStartTrackedRef = useRef(false)
 
   const [isPlaying, setIsPlaying] = useState(false)
   const [timeRemaining, setTimeRemaining] = useState(0)
@@ -62,12 +66,13 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
   }
 
   const isGif = embed.presentation === 'gif'
+  const autoplay = !autoplayDisabled && !isWithinMessage
 
   return (
     <View style={[a.flex_1, a.relative]}>
       <BlueskyVideoView
         url={embed.playlist}
-        autoplay={!autoplayDisabled && !isWithinMessage}
+        autoplay={autoplay}
         beginMuted={isGif || (autoplayDisabled ? false : muted)}
         style={[a.rounded_sm]}
         onActiveChange={e => {
@@ -88,20 +93,26 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerNative({
         onTimeRemainingChange={e => {
           const {timeRemaining} = e.nativeEvent
           setTimeRemaining(timeRemaining)
-          if (
-            !isGif &&
-            reportDialogMetadata &&
-            Number.isFinite(timeRemaining) &&
-            timeRemaining >= 0
-          ) {
+          if (Number.isFinite(timeRemaining) && timeRemaining >= 0) {
             maxTimeRemainingSeconds.current = Math.max(
               maxTimeRemainingSeconds.current,
               timeRemaining,
             )
-            reportDialogMetadata.current.videoTimestampSeconds = Math.max(
-              0,
-              maxTimeRemainingSeconds.current - timeRemaining,
-            )
+            if (
+              !playbackStartTrackedRef.current &&
+              hasPlaybackStarted(
+                maxTimeRemainingSeconds.current - timeRemaining,
+              )
+            ) {
+              playbackStartTrackedRef.current = true
+              onPlaybackStart(autoplay)
+            }
+            if (!isGif && reportDialogMetadata) {
+              reportDialogMetadata.current.videoTimestampSeconds = Math.max(
+                0,
+                maxTimeRemainingSeconds.current - timeRemaining,
+              )
+            }
           }
         }}
         onError={e => {
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.shared.ts b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.shared.ts
index 8c4ef57d20..56fb66f18e 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.shared.ts
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.shared.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export type VideoEmbedInnerWebProps = {
   setActive: () => void
   onScreen: boolean
   lastKnownTime: React.RefObject<number | undefined>
+  onPlaybackStart: (autoplay: boolean) => void
 }
 
 export class HLSUnsupportedError extends Error {
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
index 947d4ac3d6..213dbfa911 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/VideoEmbedInner/VideoEmbedInnerWeb.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 import type * as HlsTypes from 'hls.js'
 
 import {useNonReactiveCallback} from '#/lib/hooks/useNonReactiveCallback'
+import {hasPlaybackStarted} from '#/lib/media/video/analytics'
 import {atoms as a} from '#/alf'
 import {AltBadgeWithDialog} from '#/components/AltBadgeWithDialog'
 import {useFullscreen} from '#/components/hooks/useFullscreen'
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
   setActive,
   onScreen,
   lastKnownTime,
+  onPlaybackStart,
 }: VideoEmbedInnerWebProps) {
   const containerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const videoRef = useRef<HTMLVideoElement>(null)
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
   const [isFullscreen] = useFullscreen(containerRef)
   const isGif = embed.presentation === 'gif'
   const reportDialogMetadata = useReportDialogMetadataContext()
+  const playbackStartTrackedRef = useRef(false)
 
   // send error up to error boundary
   const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null)
@@ -79,6 +82,13 @@ export function VideoEmbedInnerWeb({
             onTimeUpdate={e => {
               const currentTime = e.currentTarget.currentTime
               lastKnownTime.current = currentTime
+              if (
+                !playbackStartTrackedRef.current &&
+                hasPlaybackStarted(currentTime)
+              ) {
+                playbackStartTrackedRef.current = true
+                onPlaybackStart(!focused)
+              }
               if (
                 !isGif &&
                 reportDialogMetadata &&
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.tsx
index a67495189a..f2c36e6a43 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import * as VideoFallback from './VideoEmbedInner/VideoFallback'
 
 interface Props {
   embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View
+  post?: app.bsky.feed.defs.PostView
 }
 
 export function VideoEmbed({embed}: Props) {
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: Props) {
   )
 }
 
-function InnerWrapper({embed}: Props) {
+function InnerWrapper({embed, post}: Props) {
   const {_} = useLingui()
   const ax = useAnalytics()
   const ref = useRef<{togglePlayback: () => void}>(null)
@@ -86,6 +87,8 @@ function InnerWrapper({embed}: Props) {
    * the active position cost nothing.
    */
   const telemetryRef = useRef<PlaybackTelemetry | null>(null)
+  const impressionTrackedRef = useRef(false)
+  const playbackStartTrackedRef = useRef(false)
   useEffect(() => {
     return () => {
       telemetryRef.current?.deactivated()
@@ -121,6 +124,15 @@ function InnerWrapper({embed}: Props) {
         setIsActive={active => {
           setIsActive(active)
           if (active) {
+            if (!impressionTrackedRef.current) {
+              impressionTrackedRef.current = true
+              ax.metric('video:impression', {
+                postUri: post?.uri,
+                postAuthorDid: post?.author.did,
+                context: 'embed',
+                presentation: embed.presentation === 'gif' ? 'gif' : 'video',
+              })
+            }
             if (telemetryRef.current == null) {
               telemetryRef.current = createPlaybackTelemetry({
                 surface: 'feed',
@@ -132,6 +144,17 @@ function InnerWrapper({embed}: Props) {
             telemetryRef.current?.deactivated()
           }
         }}
+        onPlaybackStart={autoplay => {
+          if (playbackStartTrackedRef.current) return
+          playbackStartTrackedRef.current = true
+          ax.metric('video:playback:start', {
+            postUri: post?.uri,
+            postAuthorDid: post?.author.did,
+            context: 'embed',
+            presentation: embed.presentation === 'gif' ? 'gif' : 'video',
+            autoplay,
+          })
+        }}
         onError={error => {
           telemetryRef.current?.error(error)
           ax.metric('video:playback:failed', {
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
index a02fff613a..c4aed50c2d 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/VideoEmbed/index.web.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,13 @@ const noop = () => {}
  */
 const MIN_CARD_WIDTH = 280
 
-export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View}) {
+export function VideoEmbed({
+  embed,
+  post,
+}: {
+  embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View
+  post?: app.bsky.feed.defs.PostView
+}) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const ref = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const {
@@ -49,11 +55,25 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View}) {
   const [onScreen, setOnScreen] = useState(false)
   const [isFullscreen] = useFullscreen()
   const lastKnownTime = useRef<number | undefined>(undefined)
+  const impressionTrackedRef = useRef(false)
+  const playbackStartTrackedRef = useRef(false)
+  const ax = useAnalytics()
 
   const isGif = embed.presentation === 'gif'
   // GIFs don't participate in the "one video at a time" system
   const active = isGif || activeFromContext
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!onScreen || impressionTrackedRef.current) return
+    impressionTrackedRef.current = true
+    ax.metric('video:impression', {
+      postUri: post?.uri,
+      postAuthorDid: post?.author.did,
+      context: 'embed',
+      presentation: isGif ? 'gif' : 'video',
+    })
+  }, [ax, isGif, onScreen, post?.author.did, post?.uri])
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!ref.current) return
     if (isFullscreen && !IS_WEB_FIREFOX) return
@@ -61,7 +81,7 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View}) {
       entries => {
         const entry = entries[0]
         if (!entry) return
-        setOnScreen(entry.isIntersecting)
+        setOnScreen(entry.isIntersecting && entry.intersectionRatio >= 0.5)
         // GIFs don't send position - they don't compete to be the active video
         if (!isGif) {
           sendPosition(
@@ -179,6 +199,17 @@ export function VideoEmbed({embed}: {embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View}) {
             setActive={setActive}
             onScreen={onScreen}
             lastKnownTime={lastKnownTime}
+            onPlaybackStart={autoplay => {
+              if (playbackStartTrackedRef.current) return
+              playbackStartTrackedRef.current = true
+              ax.metric('video:playback:start', {
+                postUri: post?.uri,
+                postAuthorDid: post?.author.did,
+                context: 'embed',
+                presentation: isGif ? 'gif' : 'video',
+                autoplay,
+              })
+            }}
           />
         </OnlyNearScreen>
       </ErrorBoundary>
diff --git a/src/components/Post/Embed/index.tsx b/src/components/Post/Embed/index.tsx
index 5e195ac2f9..1468f9b3f5 100644
--- a/src/components/Post/Embed/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Post/Embed/index.tsx
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ function MediaEmbed({
           <ExternalEmbed
             link={embed.view.external}
             onOpen={rest.onOpen}
+            post={rest.post}
             style={[a.mt_sm, rest.style]}
           />
         </ContentHider>
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ function MediaEmbed({
         <ContentHider
           modui={rest.moderation?.ui('contentMedia')}
           activeStyle={[a.mt_sm]}>
-          <VideoEmbed embed={embed.view} />
+          <VideoEmbed embed={embed.view} post={rest.post} />
         </ContentHider>
       )
     }
diff --git a/src/lib/media/video/__tests__/analytics.test.ts b/src/lib/media/video/__tests__/analytics.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..846c8c245b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/media/video/__tests__/analytics.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import {hasPlaybackStarted} from '../analytics'
+
+describe('hasPlaybackStarted', () => {
+  it.each([
+    [0, false],
+    [0.049, false],
+    [0.05, true],
+    [1, true],
+    [Number.NaN, false],
+    [Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY, false],
+  ])('returns %s for %s seconds', (seconds, expected) => {
+    expect(hasPlaybackStarted(seconds)).toBe(expected)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/lib/media/video/analytics.ts b/src/lib/media/video/analytics.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bae36f4f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/media/video/analytics.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+export const PLAYBACK_START_THRESHOLD_SECONDS = 0.05
+
+/**
+ * A small positive threshold distinguishes rendered playback from metadata
+ * loading and zero-valued player callbacks while still representing the first
+ * frame across the frame rates we support.
+ */
+export function hasPlaybackStarted(progressSeconds: number): boolean {
+  return (
+    Number.isFinite(progressSeconds) &&
+    progressSeconds >= PLAYBACK_START_THRESHOLD_SECONDS
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/strings/embed-player.test.ts b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c46fea6da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import {type EmbedPlayerType, getEmbedPlayerMediaType} from './embed-player'
+
+describe('getEmbedPlayerMediaType', () => {
+  it.each<
+    readonly [EmbedPlayerType, ReturnType<typeof getEmbedPlayerMediaType>]
+  >([
+    ['youtube_video', 'video'],
+    ['youtube_short', 'video'],
+    ['twitch_video', 'video'],
+    ['vimeo_video', 'video'],
+    ['spotify_song', 'audio'],
+    ['soundcloud_set', 'audio'],
+    ['apple_music_album', 'audio'],
+    ['bandcamp_track', 'audio'],
+    ['giphy_gif', 'gif'],
+    ['flickr_album', 'other'],
+  ])('classifies %s as %s', (type, expected) => {
+    expect(getEmbedPlayerMediaType(type)).toBe(expected)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
index 2bba205193..a580beb6d7 100644
--- a/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
+++ b/src/lib/strings/embed-player.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,29 @@ export type EmbedPlayerType =
   | 'bandcamp_album'
   | 'bandcamp_track'
 
+export function getEmbedPlayerMediaType(
+  type: EmbedPlayerType,
+): 'video' | 'audio' | 'gif' | 'other' {
+  if (
+    type === 'youtube_video' ||
+    type === 'youtube_short' ||
+    type === 'twitch_video' ||
+    type === 'vimeo_video'
+  ) {
+    return 'video'
+  }
+  if (type.endsWith('_gif')) return 'gif'
+  if (
+    type.startsWith('spotify_') ||
+    type.startsWith('soundcloud_') ||
+    type.startsWith('apple_music_') ||
+    type.startsWith('bandcamp_')
+  ) {
+    return 'audio'
+  }
+  return 'other'
+}
+
 export const externalEmbedLabels: Record<EmbedPlayerSource, string> = {
   youtube: 'YouTube',
   youtubeShorts: 'YouTube Shorts',
diff --git a/src/screens/VideoFeed/index.tsx b/src/screens/VideoFeed/index.tsx
index cb43845b3a..9c662fdf13 100644
--- a/src/screens/VideoFeed/index.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/VideoFeed/index.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import {HITSLOP_20} from '#/lib/constants'
 import {useHaptics} from '#/lib/haptics'
 import {useNonReactiveCallback} from '#/lib/hooks/useNonReactiveCallback'
 import {useOpenComposer} from '#/lib/hooks/useOpenComposer'
+import {hasPlaybackStarted} from '#/lib/media/video/analytics'
 import {
   createPlaybackTelemetry,
   type PlaybackTelemetry,
@@ -492,9 +493,19 @@ let VideoItem = ({
   const {width, height} = useSafeAreaFrame()
   const {sendInteraction, feedDescriptor} = useFeedFeedbackContext()
   const hasTrackedView = useRef(false)
+  const hasTrackedVideoImpression = useRef(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (active) {
+      if (!hasTrackedVideoImpression.current) {
+        hasTrackedVideoImpression.current = true
+        ax.metric('video:impression', {
+          postUri: post.uri,
+          postAuthorDid: post.author.did,
+          context: 'immersiveFeed',
+          presentation: embed.presentation === 'gif' ? 'gif' : 'video',
+        })
+      }
       sendInteraction({
         item: post.uri,
         event: 'app.bsky.feed.defs#interactionSeen',
@@ -519,6 +530,7 @@ let VideoItem = ({
     active,
     post.uri,
     post.author.did,
+    embed.presentation,
     feedContext,
     reqId,
     sendInteraction,
@@ -557,7 +569,12 @@ let VideoItem = ({
         <>
           <VideoItemPlaceholder embed={embed} />
           {shouldRenderVideo && player && (
-            <VideoItemInner player={player} embed={embed} active={active} />
+            <VideoItemInner
+              player={player}
+              embed={embed}
+              post={post}
+              active={active}
+            />
           )}
           {moderation && (
             <Overlay
@@ -587,16 +604,20 @@ VideoItem = memo(VideoItem)
 function VideoItemInner({
   player,
   embed,
+  post,
   active,
 }: {
   player: VideoPlayer
   embed: app.bsky.embed.video.View
+  post: app.bsky.feed.defs.PostView
   active: boolean
 }) {
   const {bottom} = useSafeAreaInsets()
   const [isReady, setIsReady] = useState(!IS_ANDROID)
   const reportDialogMetadata =
     ReportDialogMetadataContext.useReportDialogMetadataContext()
+  const ax = useAnalytics()
+  const playbackStartTrackedRef = useRef(false)
 
   usePlaybackTelemetry({player, active, playlist: embed.playlist})
 
@@ -617,6 +638,20 @@ function VideoItemInner({
     ) {
       reportDialogMetadata.current.videoTimestampSeconds = evt.currentTime
     }
+    if (
+      active &&
+      !playbackStartTrackedRef.current &&
+      hasPlaybackStarted(evt.currentTime)
+    ) {
+      playbackStartTrackedRef.current = true
+      ax.metric('video:playback:start', {
+        postUri: post.uri,
+        postAuthorDid: post.author.did,
+        context: 'immersiveFeed',
+        presentation: embed.presentation === 'gif' ? 'gif' : 'video',
+        autoplay: true,
+      })
+    }
   })
 
   return (