More MacOS Fails: Unexpected Video Call Reactions / Hand Gestures

Yet another opt-out feature that should have been opt-in

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A while back I was invited into a Zoom call for a Q&A about a very difficult topic. I’m a very animated speaker in general, and I unconsciously use my hands a lot, especially when I’m emotional.

An angry stick finger making gestures while talking
Image by Midjourney

Suddenly, in the middle of describing something particularly intense and important to me, balloons appeared around me and floated up towards the top of the screen.

An unhappy stick figure speaking with its hands with colored balloons floating around him
Image by Midjourney

What the hell was going on?!

This happened a few more times during the call, and it was unsettling and disruptive. Not to mention embarrassing. After the call, I examined my Zoom settings, tried googling for Zoom gestures, but I found nothing relevant.

I scratched my head, shrugged, and tried to forget about it.

Some time passed, and my family and I were talking to my mother on WhatsApp when I unwittingly made another gesture, and we were treated to a fireworks / confetti display (I don’t recall which). In this very different context, we found the gestures hilarious and it’s since become a thing…

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Adam Fisher / fisher king (@therightstuff)

Software developer and writer of words, currently producing a graphic novel adaptation of Shakespeare's Sonnets! See http://therightstuff.bio.link for details.