Google Meet adds skin smoothing and teeth whitening effects for video calls

theverge.com

4 pointsBrajeshwar3 comments

Am I the only one who is concerned about these 'touch up' effects on video apps?

I get that it is better to look good than bad, but perhaps it also a bad thing to look good all the time? We can't be far away from being able to AI-enhance micro expression, pupil dilation, voice pitch and tone and so on. No doubt we're all going to toggle this stuff on if it is available, and we'll be perfect every time we go online. What does it do to society if human imperfection is never seen? We're turning into the Stepford Wives here

For me, there is a level of detail that just feels invasive. A 480 video is good. If I feel like I have to scrub my pores before a mobile video call, I'm just going to skip sending video entirely.

You can make yourself look they way you want with makeup, or you can use filters. The same tech can be used for self expression that you are worried about erasing "imperfection". Personally I'd like one that just fixes my hair.

Zoom has had various touch up features for a long time (skin smoothing in particular).

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