KinChat: veiling your face without suppressing facial expression in text communication

Abstract

In computer-mediated communication (CMC), the lack of visual cues in text communication can make communication difficult. However, video chat with rich cues may raise privacy concerns and social biases. In this paper, we present an instant messaging tool, namely KinChat, that combines text messaging with visualizations of facial expression and head movement. We conduct an evaluation study, confirming the utility of this design.