The Time I Was Livestreamed… And It Was Way More Awkward Than You’d Think

Okay, so you know how sometimes you’re like, “This is so weird, I wish I could just go back in time?” Yeah, well, that happened to me, except it wasn’t about a bad date or a spilled coffee. It was about being livestreamed without even realizing it.

I was working on a story for the Washington Post about this amazing Twitch user who’s been broadcasting her entire life for three years. Like, literally, everything. So naturally, I had to interview her. The catch? Our entire conversation was live on Twitch.

You’d think I’d be used to being on camera, right? But, man, it’s one thing to be interviewed for a podcast or a Zoom call, and a whole other thing to know that a bunch of strangers are watching you in real-time. It’s kind of like having your own personal critique session going on in the background.

I’d ask her a question and the chat would chime in, sometimes even calling me out for asking “stupid questions.” I mean, who hasn’t felt that little pang of self-doubt when you’re in the middle of a conversation? But with the chat box open, that feeling was amplified tenfold. It’s like, “Oh, yeah, I’m being judged by the entire internet right now.”

And then there was that time she went to the bathroom and I was left alone at her desk, staring at the camera. It was like a scene straight out of “The Truman Show.” The chat started talking to me, and I was like, “Do I… respond? Do I just sit here and pretend I’m not being watched?”

It was super awkward, but it was also a pretty incredible learning experience. Being on the other side of the camera, in that super vulnerable, open environment, gave me a real understanding of what it’s like to live your life under the constant scrutiny of the internet. It was a reminder that even the most “ordinary” moments can become extraordinary when they’re being shared with the world.

And hey, maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I think about how much of our lives are already being livestreamed, even if we don’t realize it. Between social media and the constant “on-the-record” nature of the internet, it’s getting harder and harder to have a truly private moment. So, yeah, I guess being livestreamed without my consent was a good reminder that even technology reporters have to be careful about what they share, because you never know who’s watching.