Thinking back on the times of Covid got me thinking, why are so many adult people averse to showing face on camera?

[Forceinhand]

I remember how zoom calls during lectures or meetings etc. would always have a majority without cameras on even though it was a requirement to be seen. Many even when asked to turn cameras on jokingly pleaded not to, men and women both and I mean I just don't get it, what's the big deal? Unless you're in a truly horrid state why is it so scary as a mature person to just activate your camera? It's no different from turning up at Uni irl. I used to have the same issue with classmates being such dramatic scaredy cats on talking in front of people during presentations. It's social interaction guys not the end of the world.

[Levin]

In Covid everybody showed themselves to be barking mad in general. Apart from the Swedes, oddly enough. The only country to take a sensible and rational approach to it.

But to answer your question. I noticed the same thing with office meetings. Me and my boss would share our camera screens, the rest of the office would not do. I can only presume they hadn't bothered to take care of themselves in the most basic of ways. Indeed, covid was a lazy man's wet dream. Or maybe it's some deeper psychological level. People who engage in morally dubious activities are scared of the light. Of having their consciousness exposed, which is all reflected across one's face. Probably why humanity had such a love of being masked up. It disassociates you from the responsibility of your persona.

[Levin]

Oh and of course, a general level of timidity and social retardation.

[WindAtMyBack]

1) It's just not a habit they developed.
2) They never saw the need.
3) Privacy. Privacy is a right that young people seem to not care about. Older people tend to think of the right to privacy the same way as freedom of speech. It's not something to be just thrown away like it's nothing. But young people seem perfectly fine giving up their rights.
4) They may be embarrassed or feel very awkward about it.
5) They might not know how to do it.

We went through something similar in the 80s when answering machines for phones became popular. People were reluctant to leave a voice message. It was just weird and took time to get used to. For thousands of years humans talked to other humans. Suddenly they were talking to machines, which was super weird at first.

[IslaTheWitch]

Somehow I treasure my privacy. I also don't like to show my face. So cam is off, but for me was the same before covid :D

[DryGermanGuy]

It's called privacy. Why would I want complete strangers to see into my rooms? This is not North Korea where agents get to control if everybody has the official pictures of the "beloved leader" on the wall. I have no added benefit from seeing other people in calls, I only need to hear them.

[Forceinhand]

Bit melodramatic there. It's not privacy when you're just needed to be visible on a camera.

[DryGermanGuy]

Which nobody outside of applying for model jobs or facial comedy is. We had phone conferences for decades, all of a sudden I need to see a dozen mugs on my screen? Why?

[Forceinhand]

In uni. contexts, to confirm that students really are there and listening and not skipping class. Especially for seminars.
I don't see the reason to make such a fuss over such a non-issue as showing yourself.

[DryGermanGuy]

Okay, school/uni is a different animal, I have not experienced it in that context.

[goaded]

@DryGermanGuy My wife teaches seminars online; she really doesn't like it when people can't be bothered to switch on their cameras; it removes the feedback.

[NaultD]

i also don't like listening to my own voice recorded and listening back. Same logic with looking at my face that isn't brush my own teeth. I also think thats why gyms are hard for new people.

They're mirrors facing all the equipment so people and see their form but new people don't know that purpose and just see themselves starting something new and feeling awkward and shy and self feeds itself with you looking back in the mirror.

[NathanDavis]

what people didn't want to show was their rooms... lol

or family walking around naked either

[Anonymous]

Everyone has facial recognition now and is vacuuming up these billions of images, and when it's finally released to the public you'll be able to walk down the street and take a picture of someone and your phone will tell you who it is as well as a lot of personal information, age, address, phone number, e-mail, socials, all sorts.

[Opinion Owner]

This is like when people say, "you don't need a lawyer if you haven't done anything wrong."

That's when you need a lawyer the most.

[AlexEfron]

I don't mind turning on the camera, but I generally prefer not to. No particular reason. My level of comfort: messages > phone calls > video calls > face to face meet.

[Jamie05rhs]

Because some of us are skeptical about the surveillance state and we care about personal privacy and things like that. So we're automatically averse to cameras no matter where they are or what the reason is.

[goaded]

It's because they weren't paying attention.

[exitseven]

They still remember their last perp walk.