I hate zoom / video calls.

[Bluewavescrashing]

I always look terrible, there's a technical issue with someone, we talk over each other, you can't hear properly.

I have to use it for work and my family love it, but give me a WhatsApp message or email any day!

[Bluewavescrashing]

Just me then

[chatterbugmegastar]

Me too. I disable the laptop's camera

[Bluewavescrashing]

My laptop doesn't have a camera do I end up waving my phone around all over the place. I hate seeing my own face talking 😂

[SpeedofaSloth]

I am getting on better with voice only conference calls now, but I really don't like looking at myself on a video call.

[Stellaris22]

I'm glad I don't have to as I'd hate looking at myself. But DH uses Microsoft Teams as there were issues with Zoom and it's much better than Zoom they find. But mostly just do audio only calls and screen sharing.

[BBCONEANDTWO]

It's becoming the norm now especially at work so unfortunately having to get used to it

[Voice0fReason]

You can set it to not show your own face, you just see other people's. It's much more comfortable to watch!

[PorpentiaScamander]

Same. My family are fucking obsessed with them. We've had a couple of online game evenings and apparently its 'no fun' if we can't all see each other and apparently "that's the whole point of doing it". I'd believe the person who said that more if he didn't then turn his sound off because people were talking.

[Aquamarine1029]

I don't do video calls. End of conversation.

[Toybox88]

I feel the same op

[TowerRingInferno]

I hate them. I hate looking at myself and I don’t want people looking at me.

I only do one to one calls, not group ones.

[whiteflat48]

There is a facility in settings on Zoom entitled 'touch up my appearance' puts on filter that softens naturally

[Intruiged]

Despise them

[Blackbear19]

Not a big fan. Even worse when you try to set something up for the kids to talk to family and the adults take over.
I actually think the kids get more out of a phone getting passed around. My 3yo has had some great chats with Granny, and Granny was even encouraged to talk to teddy

[HandfulOfFlowers]

I think they're fine. It makes conversations much more interactive in my opinion.

[Bluewavescrashing]

My kids hate it too!

They love their grandparents dearly but there's not that much to talk about with no school or clubs on. DD is very self conscious and they both get bored. She doesn't like when her friends video call on my phone either so I gently told the parents that it's just not her thing unfortunately.

I take photos of them playing in the garden and send to my parents every day.instead. Or a short video of them on the trampoline or doing a silly dance or whatever.

[Wallywobbles]

I look fab on zoom with the filter and clean hair. You can't see that I'm a whale. It's all the hours I'm not on zoom that are the issue.

[Wallywobbles]

Also on the computer you can choose to hide yourself if you want.

[PersonaNonGarter]

Absolutely hate them. They are so intrusive.

I particularly hate the social ones which are chaotic and stilted and just meaningless compared to a fluid call.

For work, I only want to do concalls. This gives me the opportunity to properly look through my notes as we are talking.

[domesticslattern]

I loathe and detest them, increasingly as time goes on. I have them all day with work, in the evenings I just want to be left alone. They are completely knackering as well.

Article about that phenomenon here
www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting

[pocketem]

Zoom has been working with really well for us. Meetings that we would have to travel 30 mins for each way and that would take us out of our usual workplaces can now occur online, cutting down on unnecessary time travelling. Plus the meetings are better attended, you can be more interactive (sharing your screen to show charts etc), easier to multitask if you have other commitments at the same time (you can dip in and out of the meeting as needed). Not to mention the cost savings of booking hotels/meeting venues. I can't see us going back to widespread face to face meetings

[assburgers1]

Oh I completely agree OP
I look a right state

[Barton10]

So relieved I’m not the only one that hates them. I avoid wherever possible and try to turn my camera off!