You and I have had some good discussions about the need to safeguard mental health and I’m glad you are viewing this issues through that prism. The only reason I would be optimistic about this scenario is the change in how society views body image. While I am concerned that we have lost the social motivation to stay fit, I am glad that we have lost the social pressure to be “model thin.” We are much more accepting of natural body shape and perhaps when the expectation to look like your adulterated video image becomes too great, people will reject it.
So perhaps the technology isn’t really working! Here’s a thought - what if the technology only touched up your appearance for your view, but broadcast an unadulterated version to everyone else! That would satisfy our vanity and eliminate the image-reality gap. Hey Zoom, Teams, Google, Crowdcast and everyone else in this space - give it some thought!
Do I use the touch-up feature on Zoom? Yep - why put on makeup to sit at home when Zoom will make it look like I "got ready" for me. And ironically, my skin looks better now that I quit putting on makeup daily! I'm solidly a Millennial and we fought so hard against airbrushed magazine covers and unrealistic beauty standards only to now embrace the same features in an online platform, so even typing that feels very hypocritical! At least we know we're looking at "best" versions.
But my concern is for younger generations. What happens to young kids and teens who look in the camera and see a very different version of themselves than they see in the mirror? What happens when you think all your "friends" have perfect skin and teeth and hair and you don't (and maybe can't afford the dermatologist or braces)? What happens to freckles, moles, facial asymmetry, scars? Does that crooked nose you broke in 2nd grade get straightened online? Does that birth mark get erased? I'm concerned about the pile-on effects. Does this technology start giving everyone Disney eyes? Does it erase people with visible markers of genetic differences or whitewash skin tones?
Just like everything in this space - I think it has the power for good and evil.
Those of us who live on Zoom have had this touch up feature for years, and yes, I just leave it on. I do worry that when people meet me in person their immediate reaction will be, “wow, she looks awful” but I meet so few of my online connections in person that I’m willing to risk it.
My bigger fear is that the “always perfect” perception will lead more people to cosmetic surgery believing it will improve their appearance. And none of us have the courage to say to someone with a face lift, “you look awful - what did you do to yourself!” as we look at the taut skin and mask like face. Or women with clown lips, or frozen Botox faces. I find myself just walking away and avoiding Botoxed people because they seem disengaged from the conversation. Will we push more people to these destructive alterations with expectations of perfection.
Ok - so honest reaction Hung. We finally met in person after years of an online friendship. Was your first reaction - “oh my God she looks old!”?
Thanks Maury - I think this is exactly what will happen - we'll toggle it on and it will stay on as default. Now right now, I reckon a little touch up here and there probably IS no big deal but I wonder what happens as we continue to physically degrade (!) at the same time as the technology continues to improve - should mean the distance between facsimile and reality will increase.
We might have a similar effect in terms of our interest in interacting with people - more comfort online (because we look great) and less offline (because we're going to look progressively worse!)
I think this build narcissism into society. More I think on it, more I suspect this innocuous seeming innovation might sow the seeds for increase mental health issues!
I am so torn about touch-up technology. On one hand, it's very helpful in enhancing our appearance and possibly reducing beauty bias. However, I worry about the potential impact on our collective mental health when we start altering our appearances to unrealistic levels.
If we continue pushing the boundaries of touch-up technology, where will it stop? Will some individuals eventually withdraw from the real world because they become self-conscious about their natural appearance?
this is my thinking also Luke. I'm reminded of the Ready Player One where the online world is so obviously better than reality and the humans who do reveal themselves in the end look nothing like their online avatars. Tech of this type is going to set the bar for beauty higher, and therefore lead to inevitable disappointment in reality. We know Instagram is bad for self esteem - what is going to happen when Zoom calls become the equivalent?
And yet...advantage will go to those who do use it, so it seems that we are on trend toward this future
That Ready Player One dystopian reality feels all of a sudden very close indeed.
I think the online Avatar concept is an interesting one. We have been moving for years to embrace an authentic persona at work but that relies on workplace cultures where authenticity is supported and not weaponised against people.
In a world where competitive advantage seems inevitable, the idea of maintaining distinct work and personal personas, or even adopting a fully developed work character (an Avatar), could potentially have its merits?!
You and I have had some good discussions about the need to safeguard mental health and I’m glad you are viewing this issues through that prism. The only reason I would be optimistic about this scenario is the change in how society views body image. While I am concerned that we have lost the social motivation to stay fit, I am glad that we have lost the social pressure to be “model thin.” We are much more accepting of natural body shape and perhaps when the expectation to look like your adulterated video image becomes too great, people will reject it.
So perhaps the technology isn’t really working! Here’s a thought - what if the technology only touched up your appearance for your view, but broadcast an unadulterated version to everyone else! That would satisfy our vanity and eliminate the image-reality gap. Hey Zoom, Teams, Google, Crowdcast and everyone else in this space - give it some thought!
Do I use the touch-up feature on Zoom? Yep - why put on makeup to sit at home when Zoom will make it look like I "got ready" for me. And ironically, my skin looks better now that I quit putting on makeup daily! I'm solidly a Millennial and we fought so hard against airbrushed magazine covers and unrealistic beauty standards only to now embrace the same features in an online platform, so even typing that feels very hypocritical! At least we know we're looking at "best" versions.
But my concern is for younger generations. What happens to young kids and teens who look in the camera and see a very different version of themselves than they see in the mirror? What happens when you think all your "friends" have perfect skin and teeth and hair and you don't (and maybe can't afford the dermatologist or braces)? What happens to freckles, moles, facial asymmetry, scars? Does that crooked nose you broke in 2nd grade get straightened online? Does that birth mark get erased? I'm concerned about the pile-on effects. Does this technology start giving everyone Disney eyes? Does it erase people with visible markers of genetic differences or whitewash skin tones?
Just like everything in this space - I think it has the power for good and evil.
Those of us who live on Zoom have had this touch up feature for years, and yes, I just leave it on. I do worry that when people meet me in person their immediate reaction will be, “wow, she looks awful” but I meet so few of my online connections in person that I’m willing to risk it.
My bigger fear is that the “always perfect” perception will lead more people to cosmetic surgery believing it will improve their appearance. And none of us have the courage to say to someone with a face lift, “you look awful - what did you do to yourself!” as we look at the taut skin and mask like face. Or women with clown lips, or frozen Botox faces. I find myself just walking away and avoiding Botoxed people because they seem disengaged from the conversation. Will we push more people to these destructive alterations with expectations of perfection.
Ok - so honest reaction Hung. We finally met in person after years of an online friendship. Was your first reaction - “oh my God she looks old!”?
❤️
I confess I have the Zoom touch up feature on but not for Teams or Meet
and you look exactly like you do online Maury!
Thanks Maury - I think this is exactly what will happen - we'll toggle it on and it will stay on as default. Now right now, I reckon a little touch up here and there probably IS no big deal but I wonder what happens as we continue to physically degrade (!) at the same time as the technology continues to improve - should mean the distance between facsimile and reality will increase.
We might have a similar effect in terms of our interest in interacting with people - more comfort online (because we look great) and less offline (because we're going to look progressively worse!)
I think this build narcissism into society. More I think on it, more I suspect this innocuous seeming innovation might sow the seeds for increase mental health issues!
I am so torn about touch-up technology. On one hand, it's very helpful in enhancing our appearance and possibly reducing beauty bias. However, I worry about the potential impact on our collective mental health when we start altering our appearances to unrealistic levels.
If we continue pushing the boundaries of touch-up technology, where will it stop? Will some individuals eventually withdraw from the real world because they become self-conscious about their natural appearance?
this is my thinking also Luke. I'm reminded of the Ready Player One where the online world is so obviously better than reality and the humans who do reveal themselves in the end look nothing like their online avatars. Tech of this type is going to set the bar for beauty higher, and therefore lead to inevitable disappointment in reality. We know Instagram is bad for self esteem - what is going to happen when Zoom calls become the equivalent?
And yet...advantage will go to those who do use it, so it seems that we are on trend toward this future
That Ready Player One dystopian reality feels all of a sudden very close indeed.
I think the online Avatar concept is an interesting one. We have been moving for years to embrace an authentic persona at work but that relies on workplace cultures where authenticity is supported and not weaponised against people.
In a world where competitive advantage seems inevitable, the idea of maintaining distinct work and personal personas, or even adopting a fully developed work character (an Avatar), could potentially have its merits?!