Editing Webcam (section)

{{Short description|Video camera connected to a computer or network}}
[[File:Logicool StreamCam (cropped).jpg|alt=Small box with a lens inside|thumb|A Logitech-branded webcam attached to a laptop]]
A '''webcam''' is a [[video camera]] which is designed to record or stream to a [[computer]] or [[computer network]]. They are primarily used in [[Videotelephony|video telephony]], [[live streaming]] and [[social media]], and [[Closed-circuit television|security]]. Webcams can be [[Built-in function|built-in]] computer hardware or [[Peripheral|peripheral devices]], and are commonly connected to a device using [[USB]] or [[Internet protocol suite|wireless protocol]].  

Webcams have been used on the [[Internet]] as early as 1993, and the first widespread commercial one became available in 1994. Early webcam usage on the Internet was primarily limited to stationary shots streamed to web sites. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, [[instant messaging]] clients added support for webcams, increasing their popularity in video conferencing. Computer manufacturers later started integrating webcams into [[laptop]] hardware. In 2020, the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] caused a shortage of webcams due to the increased number of people [[Remote work|working from home]].