Video conferencing offers organisations the opportunity to replicate the in-office experience from wherever they are in the world…but you might want to be careful what you’re showing to your online audience.

A lawyer from southwest Texas recently went viral for appearing on screen with a cat filter during a virtual courtroom hearing. Attorney Rod Ponton tried his best to remove the filter, helpfully assuring the meeting attendees that he was, in fact, “not a cat”.

The world shifting to digital during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a slew of entertaining technical mishaps, especially with pets invading the workspace: Rocco the cat infamously interrupted a parliamentary meeting by waving his tail in front of the camera, while Brody the Golden Retriever became a sensation when he joined his human for the online weather forecast.

These incidents highlight the many trials and tribulations of video conferencing, as well as what can happen when work life and home life collide. 

SBM strongly advises all of its clients and followers to watch out for wacky filters, be careful of cats on the keyboard, and maybe give your dogs an extra-chewy snack to keep them occupied during important digital meetings.