I think there are some reasonable points here. OTOH, there are some real tradeoffs to a "cameras off" policy, including implications for accessibility—e.g., for students with some hearing disabilities. 1/ https://twitter.com/ariezrawaldman/status/1291117616677912578

I also think most of the underlying problems @ariezrawaldman cites are either inherent problems with the design of videoconferencing platforms that ought to be fixed, or broader social problems that a "cameras off" policy might avoid exacerbating but won't fix either. 2/

That said, I totally agree it's worth being mindful about these decisions and communicating expectations to students. (I made at least one change to my syllabus after reading this thread.) /fin