How to change your background on Google Meet, and why you should
The pandemic is coming for your privacy, but there are small ways to fight back.
If you're fortunate enough to have a work-from-home gig, then there's a decent chance you're stuck in a never-ending bootloop of video calls for the foreseeable future. For many people, this directly translates into giving bosses, coworkers, clients, or complete strangers a direct view into their home. But it doesn't have to be that way.
In late October Google announced that Google Meet, its video conferencing tool, would soon give users the ability to load custom backgrounds on their video calls. This feature, popularized by Zoom, is a playful way to spice up an otherwise dull conference call. But it's more than that, too.
By slapping a digital background on your video call, you are preventing other call participants from seeing into your actual home. Whether you value privacy for its own sake, or just don't feel like tidying up your shared home office space before your next meeting, this feature allows for a tiny semblance of privacy and control that the pandemic long ago stripped away.
Thankfully, it's easy enough to turn on. Google has detailed instructions on its Help page, but, for those of you who don't feel like clicking and wading through Google's instructions, here's how you load a custom background before calling into a video meeting:
1. Find the meeting you wish to join (maybe it's in the form of a calendar invite, or a direct link), and click "Join With Google Meet."
Before the spicy background.Credit: screenshot / google meet2. Google Meet will ask if you're "Ready to join?" Before you do, select the semi-human icon in the bottom-right corner of the video box. In the below screenshot, the camera is turned off so the video box is black. You, on the other hand, will have your camera on (that's the entire point of this, remember?).
An undersea adventure from the safety of your desk.Credit: screenshot / google meet3. You are now presented with a host of backgrounds to chose from. Simply select the one you want, or upload your own by hitting the "+" option, and you're off to the races. Check out this undersea adventure option.
4. Select "Join Now" and you have now entered the meeting with your virtual background.
Easy, right?
Now, because technology is messy and often problematic, this kind of virtual background feature comes with a huge proviso. Namely, virtual backgrounds, like so many other kinds of modern technology, are biased.
Yup. Virtual backgrounds are biased.
It turns out that many forms of virtual background tech either weren't designed with Black people in mind, or they just do a terrible job of distinguishing people with darker skin tones from their backgrounds (likely the former led to the latter).
As OneZero reported in October, scores of Black people have had the experience of "disappearing" into Zoom virtual backgrounds.
Tweet may have been deleted
In other words, attempting to take back a small bit of privacy by using Google Meet's virtual background may end up exposing the racial bias inherent in that very tech.
Thankfully, there are people fighting against that bias, too. You can join them.
In the meantime, if you can keep your camera off during video meetings, do. If not, cross your fingers and switch on a virtual background.
Related Video: Here are 5 ways to improve your Google Meet video calls
(责任编辑:资讯)
- 尝“鲜”盛宴,等你来探!2024年清远西牛麻竹笋尝鲜季即将启幕
- Arsenal fuelled by anger of injustice: Arteta
- Woods eyes Riviera win
- North Korean
- Kamala Harris’ ridiculous problem with the political press.
- Prime exclusive deal: $50 off Govee floor lamp
- N. Korea vows to take countermeasures against organizations that impose sanctions
- N. Korea slams US over veto on UN resolution calling for cease
- 荥经县走进湖南卫视《非常靠谱》
- Europe now has a huge AI gap, for better or for worse
- Park's lawyers ask Constitutional Court to exclude key evidence
- Siri keeps sending people looking for escorts to an esports bar
- Tampon prank meant to be 'fun and games': Woods
-
Abrar Ahmed returns as Pakistan names squad for second Test against Bangladesh
ListentoarticlePakistan has announced its 12-member squad for the second Test against Bangladesh, se ...[详细] -
大方天麻,贵在道地!贵州大方天麻亮相大湾区_南方+_南方plus“大方天麻,身出名门,基因高贵,质量上乘。种植历史悠久,据考证已有2000多年的历史。”6月20日晚,贵牛黔茶融湾推介活动在广州举行,活 ...[详细]
-
Google Home is now playing unprompted ads for 'Beauty and the Beast'
It's a tale as old as time: You ask your $129 voice-controlled, in-home digital assistant about your ...[详细] -
NK says spy satellite took photos of US bases in San Diego, Japan
A new type of Chollima-1 rocket carrying a reconnaissance satellite called the Malligyong-1 lifts of ...[详细] -
“精致小春姐”顾春芳:华丽白西装、镶钻水晶拖鞋,带来新兴凉果No.1
“精致小春姐”顾春芳:华丽白西装、镶钻水晶拖鞋,带来新兴凉果No.1_南方+_南方plus“欢迎收听广东‘讲错’电台编外节目之广东省第一届农事运动会乡村直播大赛......”来自云浮市新兴县的村播“精 ...[详细] -
HBL PSL8: Bigger, better, stronger?
KARACHI:The eighth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) will kick-off on Monday in Multan, ...[详细] -
南农晨读|雷岭佳荔_南方+_南方plus【今日关注】定了!2024年广东高考成绩6月25日出分广东省教育考试院将于6月25日11:30起向已在高考报名系统绑定的手机号码推送成绩;当天12:00起,考生 ...[详细]
-
Happy birthday to this dog who had the best possible reaction to her treat
The internet is full of dog birthday photos, but this one takes the cake.Here is Lucy. Lucy just cel ...[详细] -
PRE-ORDER NOW: The new Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) is now available for preorder at Am ...[详细]
-
“村K”报报报……爆了!2024广东乡村歌手大赛报名火热_南方+_南方plus盛夏已至,当“燃”不让!岭南大地“百千万”歌唱者正卷起一股滔滔音浪,奔涌向广东“村K”大舞台。2024广东乡村歌手大赛报名 ...[详细]
- How to Backup Your Gmail Account
- 'Kitten fur' perfume will bring you one step closer to becoming your cat
- S. Korea hints at halt to 2018 inter
- Korea says it is 'not desirable' to link 'comfort woman' statue issue with Dokdo
- 20 Places to Eat Dumplings and Noodles for Lunar New Year
- 组建“巾帼”嫁接服务队,回乡创业闯出新天地
- Facebook unveils yet another tired plan to reduce 'problematic content'