Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
THE MEETING — We've all been there in 2020. Zoom fails.
One time, I was halfway through delivering a memorized speech on a call when my roommate slipped behind me, grabbed the laundry and slammed the door — headphones obliviously playing music the whole time. Once in class, I heard a guy place a whole McDonald's order (it was a McDouble and fries, if you're curious.) Another time, I heard ten minutes of a Ted Bundy documentary from someone who couldn't figure out their settings.
We've also covered our fair share of Zoom mishaps and triumphs in the Have You Seen This? section. From 2nd graders not knowing what to do when teacher drops off Zoom call to a lawyer accidentally showing up to digital court as a cat, it's been a year.
As it turns out, even world leaders are not immune from digital pitfalls. At this year's digital G7 — where seven of the world's economic powerhouses came together to coordinate the COVID-19 vaccine rollout —Angela Merkel forgot to mute.
This video shows UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson greeting the summit, only to be interrupted by a flurry of German.
"Can you hear us, Angela?" he asks.
Then he laughs, "That's OK; that's all right. I think you need to mute."
Maybe it's just me, but I find it side-bustingly hilarious that no matter how educated, powerful and important you are, the Zoom call makes all mankind equal. Bow before the might of tech blunders, because they are inevitable — for everyone, even the chancellor of Germany.
