On Zoom = on the air
04 June 2021
Here’s another lesson for anyone participating in a Zoom oral argument: Always assume that your camera is on.
A lawyer in Michigan learned this lesson the hard way. While watching a Zoom oral argument, he experienced a technical glitch with his computer screen. In frustration, he gave his computer the middle finger. He didn’t realize that, despite whatever problems he was having with his display, his camera was working fine and was live. So the appellate panel saw his gesture and interpreted it as flipping off the court or his opponent (who was arguing at the time) and fined him $3,000. Stories about this incident are at the ABA Journal and the Detroit Free Press.
The lesson: If you’re on Zoom and don’t want to be seen, learn how to turn off your camera. If your camera has a built-in lens cover, use it; if not, consider using a sticky note to cover the lens. And if you share your computer with anyone, make sure no one has turned on a video filter.
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