Another video call is on the horizon. The little paper covering up the camera is removed, and the setup is painstakingly calculated. A moment is taken to think about which corner should the laptop be propped up against, what window view should be included, who is in the room, or what books should show on the bookcase behind. Should extra lighting be used, or maybe an excuse envisioned, avoiding using the camera all together. The once dreaded and avoided video call became the new normal for work and social interactions. With the pandemic still forcing lockdowns and people working remotely, video calls became another intrusive window into people’s privacy. Beside worrying on how one presents themselves on camera and being forced into tracking each tick of their facial movements reflected back at them, one aspect of video calls came to the forefront as another telling layer of people’s private lives, the background, the space behind, and what it tells about the person.
Is it too cluttered? Does it look “culturally diverse”? Maybe a curated collection of vinyl will give a more hipster look, or an assortment of Prada shopping bags to keep it “bougie”. In an age where selective sharing of personal information and personal image is ever under surveillance and meticulously constructed, both on social media and in extension the physical world, an uninvited window into the backstage is confusing. While internet and social media users battle each day for more control of their internet privacy and clearer definitions of sharing, dodging dark patterns of consent forms, cookies and history sniffing, this new pseudo-digital scenario unravels more of the private preparation that goes into creating the shared public image. It is what sociologist Erving Goffman explains in the Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, social interactions are based on a number of endless performances. A performance that is constituted of a “front stage” that presents the idealised version of people, and a “backstage” that is the preparation that goes into creating this version. Both require each other to thrive, and in this performance the true self is revealed. Whether this preparation is carried out to create a deceiving illusion or enforce confident values, the process needs both stages. This holds true in digital interactions, and even more exaggerated when image can be monetised. The fine line between public and private makes engaging with social media all the more alluring. The play on revealing and concealing allows for the possibility of creating new personal manifestations and avatars. Yet the sudden shift to video calls due to the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted this rhythm and entailed a confused adaptation.
Video call apps and services, such as Zoom, understands the importance of maintaining this personal image in keeping people comfortable using their platforms. Real time solutions to keep presenters “camera ready” such as virtual backgrounds and lighting adjustments, present alternatives to time consuming preparations. Virtual backgrounds ranged from cartoonish digital images to live scenes of everyday spaces. Yet, the idea quickly opened up the possibilities of this extra blank canvas as an added layer for further self-curation and digital interaction. The digital canvas was used as presentation space, a conversation starter, a political statement, an educational piece or even an artistic expression. The endless options generated a new form of a shared digital space, in which all inhabit equally. Not all are convinced though. A counter argument is made around how these virtual backgrounds are intrusive and distracting. More importantly, to take this turn in social interactions as an opportunity to see beyond the curated image and learn more about the people behind the screen. A chance to step back from the scrutinised digital.
The reality of video calls as part of everyday life may continue well into post-pandemic years. Its form will continue to evolve and with it our digital incarnations, complicating what we tell about ourselves. Appearances will not be limited to how we look, pose or dress, but will extend to the spaces we inhabit, physical and digital, as extensions of our bodies.
