Why We Still Avoid the Video Conversation
Share:Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. They are considered by most of us to be the "Big Three" on today's Social Media scene. Any arguments there? Yes, MySpace was once a huge player, but is sinking fast in popularity. FourSquare? They'll do OK until one of the other key platforms either buys them and/or simply cannibalizes them for what they do best. Google? Wellthey keep buying and trying. We'll give them that much. We'll wait and see.
Now that many of us all agree on whom the industry's Big Boys are; how difficult is it to quickly list the many features these platforms all offer in common? Basically, each of them allows us to connect and engage with other people online, even though one by one they use a bit of a different approach to the way the "conversation" is conducted.
Now, what is the single major thing that none of the Big Three incorporates into their conversational platforms, even though a particular technology is ready to go and has been for decades? It doesn't take much thought to immediately figure out what key communications technology is glaringly missing from the three Social Media leader's services. None of the "Big Three" offers their "Likes," "Tweeters," or "Connections" the ability to video converse. You can post, Tweet, discuss, in-mail, chat, update and link all day long, but you still can't see a live shot of whom you are conversing with at any given time. Andwhy might that be?
The video phone was first introduced in 1964 at the New York World's Fair. Forty-six years later, do you have one of these at home even if you still use a land line telephone set? The new iPhone 4G touts videophone capability. I wonder how many iPhone users REALLY take advantage of it, though. You can Skype on your computer and this seems to be modestly catching on especially when you need to check in with your relatives, overseas. But, it still seems as if this (making a video call) is often made out to be a much bigger "event" than it might be considered, if only more people began using Skype, routinely.
So, what is really our major fear of video face-to-face conversation? Gosh, we try and look other people in the eye everyday at home, at work and in the supermarket. We visit our families in person; go out to dinner with our friends; and ask the gas station attendant to "fill er up" all the time. We just don't seem to prefer seeing people when we talk to them over a video device.
Time Magazine ran a story about this back in January of 2010 that may partially answer the question I am asking here. Not sure if many of you caught this one, so I'll share the nuts and bolts of the piece here.
In the Time article, it was reported that only 34% of Skype calls even use video. Hmmm. Isn't video really what Skype is really supposed to be mostly about along with saving money on expensive international phone calls?
Not according to the Time report. As per the feature writer's personal rationalization, "Skype breaks the century-old social contract of the phone: we pay close attention while we're talking and zone out while you are." In other words, we can't chew gum and walk down the street at the same time when it comes to talking to someone on a video device. We just don't prefer looking people in the eye during a remote digital conversation. It seems to be as simple as this. I am sure a sociologist could provide a more scientific analysis of this. I'll leave this part to those experts as a follow-up on this topic. For now, we're just trying to think about some obvious reasons why we avoid seeing others and being seen, ourselves, when we interact with people using most communication devices.
We all can think of times when we might not wish to be seen on a digital device. For some women, it is certainly prior to makeup application and hair dying. Most men don't want to be seen after a hard night out with the boys bloodshot eyes and the whole shebang. Then there are those of us who gaze out the window; see a beautiful day and decide to call out of work. Certainly, a video communication device is no friend of ours then.
But, there are many other times when it seems as if face-to-face conversation might be a pleasant experience. Still, we prefer to call, E-mail or text others over video streaming their smiling faces.
With all the innovations taking place, today, in digital technology and Social Media, who knows whether or not the video portion of our conversations will ever catch up with the audio and textual? It will be very interesting to follow this piece as we move further and further along the evolution continuum of Social Media communications.
Why We Still Avoid the Video Conversation
By: Marc LeVine