Methods and systems for synchronizing playback of media content items

A system comprising:

• control circuitry configured to:
• cause a first user device and a second user device to synchronously display a media content item transmitted from at least one of a plurality of servers;
• input/output circuitry configured to:
• receive available bandwidth and available buffered data of the first user device wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
• monitor the available bandwidth and the available buffered data of the first user device;
• based on the monitoring, predict an interruption of the display of the media content item at the first user device;
• determine a time duration of the predicted interruption;
• and
• based on the determined time duration of the predicted interruption:
• while the display of the media content item by the first user device and the second user device is synchronized:
• cause, by at least one of the plurality of servers, the display of the media content item by the first user device and the second user device to become temporarily desynchronized by modifying play speed of the media content item for at least one of the first user device or the second user device, wherein parameters for modifying the play speed are selected based on the determined time duration of the predicted interruption such that the first user device and the second user device resume synchronously displaying the media content item after the predicted interruption.