Online Video vs Real World
Communication in the real world is inherently ephemeral. We talk to each other, but it’s normally not recorded (depends on the context). People can express themselves more freely: make funny faces, say something silly, etc.
What inspired me to write this post was, receiving a “funny” video of someone forgetting they are being recorded while doing a video conference on zoom.
As soon as you turn on a camera and start recording, people become a little more careful about they do. Online communication is inherently recorded. It changes how people act and message – because you are being watched and anything you do can come back and bite you.
During these times, sometimes it’s easy to forget that online video is not ephemeral. This key insight that Snapchat had a long time ago – could be incredibly useful now. For example, even though platforms like Zoom notify users when they are being recorded, there are other ways to record without using their integrated recorder.
How could online video platforms snapchat themselves?
Photo Credits: Franey Miller, Tayler Smith
