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Ask HN: Remote Working and Cameras-On

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21–23 of 23 posts

Re: Ask HN: Remote Working and Cameras-On

#21
> Am I weird or overprotective with this? How do you feel about the whole camera-on issue?

A requirement for camera always-on just show that the corporation don't trust you. I would never even consider working there.

I have a decent cam mounted above my monitor, good lightning, and an interesting background behind me, designed for online meetings. When I turn the cam on, people who see me for the first time will not be distracted by dirty laundry or a messed up living room, or some greenish or bluish reflection from the walls (or some Elon Muskish red head floating in a dark void). I will look OK (or at least not worse than I do in real life), and the scenery will be better than average. This makes it OK for me to turn on the camera in the first place.

For 1x1 meetings and meetings with just a few people, I find camera on to be effective. Body-language is important to understand the participants perspective of the conversation.

For meetings with many people, I usually keep my cam off, or on only when I speak. For example; in online town-halls and other long meetings with 20+ people, I don't feel a need to communicate trough my body-language how inaccurate some statements sound, or how boring some presenters feel. It also give me an opportunity to keep the sound on, while doing something useful.

Re: Ask HN: Remote Working and Cameras-On

#23

I don't understand the resistance. You are in a meeting with me. If we were meeting face to face, would you tell me to look the other way ? I get it that sometimes when working remotely, you may not want ppl to see you because may be bad hair day, you were casual with your outfit etc but if you resist EVERY time, that is not a good thing. It makes one wonder if you are hiding something. However, if this is something…

If I'm on a meeting with you I can see where you're looking at and what you're doing with your hands. Also I know that you are not recording me and can replay me again and again. Also you are not peeking in my house.

Camera-on is simply very close to a black-mirror cringe-zone where I don't want to be.

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