Small disturbances during video calls can have big consequences

A new study from researchers at Cornell University, published in Nature, shows that small technical glitches during a video call can have unexpectedly serious consequences. It was first brought to our attention by Gizmodo. According to the researchers, even minor sound or image glitches can create a sense of discomfort or unnaturalness that negatively affects how people see each other.

The results show that technological disruptions can reduce trust in doctors in digital healthcare, impair job interview chances, and even affect parole decisions. In Kentucky, the probability of being granted parole was 12% lower if the call contained interference, regardless of the nature of the offense.

Researchers warn that video calls, often described as a democratizing tool, can actually reinforce social inequalities.

“It’s supposed to be the great equalizer, it’s going to get everybody on the same page — and in a lot of ways, that’s true,” said Jacqueline Rifkin, one of the study’s authors, in a press release. “But then there’s this other side: What about the people who don’t have great internet service, and what sorts of opportunities are they missing out on? There are these implicit biases that they don’t even realize are going on.”