2 min read

iOS 17 update disrupts teletherapy sessions

Kirsten Peremore October 17, 2023

Telehealth

iOS 17 update disrupts teletherapy sessions

The release of iOS 17 brought a wave of excitement among Apple users, with a host of new features and enhancements to their digital experience. However, amid the buzz, there's concern about how one particular feature may disrupt an important facet of online communication—teletherapy.

What's new

The latest iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma updates bring an innovative feature to FaceTime, allowing users to express themselves through interactive reactions and 3D effects triggered by hand gestures. These effects include hearts, balloons, confetti, and even fireworks.

Why it matters

First mentioned by Mastodon user Matt Haughey, people have experienced embarrassing situations, particularly in more serious settings like teletherapy, where these effects may not be appropriate. For example, someone performing a thumbs-up gesture when discussing a personal trauma might inadvertently trigger fireworks or other light-hearted reactions, leading to discomfort.

While fun and engaging in casual conversations, these reactions may inadvertently create awkward or uncomfortable moments when discussing serious or personal topics.

Disabling these reactions is necessary to maintain the professionalism of online interactions, ensuring that users have control over the tone and appropriateness of their video calls, especially in sensitive contexts like therapy sessions.

Learn more: How to turn off the iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma FaceTime reactions

What they're saying

In the Mastodon post, Matt Haughey said, "The funniest thing about Apple is the last version of MacOS features "video reactions" where if your camera sees you do a thumbs up or heart symbol with your hands, stuff happens behind you like fireworks in ANY video app you are using BY DEFAULT.

"A friend was in an online therapy session, describing his trauma so the therapist asked if he was alright and he did a thumbs up and then HUGE FIREWORKS BEHIND HIS HEAD.

"It's so bad that online therapy sessions now start with a warning dialog!"

The animated reactions

There are eight possible reactions. To show a reaction, an Apple user makes the appropriate hand gesture in view of the camera and away from your face and must hold the gesture until the effect occurs.

The reactions are:

Hearts
Balloons
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
Rain
Confetti
Fireworks
Lasers

To turn this feature on or off, select Reactions in the Video menu, which appears in the menu bar when a video call is in progress.

The bigger picture

Telehealth products, like SimplePractice, utilize Apple's native camera. That means gestures could still trigger these reaction animations, even when using non-Apple teletherapy tools. SimplePractice warns their customers, "This isn't a feature integrated into our Telehealth platform and we don't have control over these settings for iOS."