[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] "Cat lawyer video" technical explanation

[Ken Pogran]

I suspect that by now, most folks have seen the so-called "cat lawyer 
video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxlPGPupdd8&feature=youtu.be>" in 
which a hapless attorney making a court appearance in Texas via Zoom on 
a borrowed laptop has his image replaced by an augmented-reality cat, 
mimicking his mouth and eye movements etc.  He is perplexed because he 
can't figure out how to turn off the "filter" in Zoom, even with 
guidance from the (apparently technically savvy) judge.

On another list I'm on, a member related finding an article with a 
technical explanation of just what happened on the video, and why the 
lawyer couldn't figure out how to undo the "filter". Turns out, it was 
more complex than just a feature of Zoom:

"An article I read made clear why the lawyer couldn't figure out how to 
turn it off.

"The filters are not part of the Zoom app. Instead, you install a 
different program ("Snap Camera" from the company that makes the snap 
chat mobile app). That program presents itself as a different webcam to 
the OS.

"Then within Zoom or WebEx or whatever, you dig deep into your video 
settings and change the camera from the system webcam to this special 
Snap camera.

"It's a clever architecture hack, but if you didn't set it up yourself 
(I'm sure the lawyer's [assistant's] kids did it), I can't imagine a 
normal human ever being able to figure out how to turn it off."

A brief article on USA Today 
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/02/10/zoom-cat-filters-how-to-add-to-next-meeting/4466701001/> 
explains how to set it up (on Mac or PC), but also notes that the "BBC 
reports the specific cat filter in the video originated from 
pre-installed software for Dell laptops called Live Cam Avatar", so who 
knows which was actually in use.

Ken Pogran
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