A videoconference is a group or a person-to-person discussion in which participants are at different locations but can see and hear each other as though they were together in one place. Most off-the-Internet videoconferences today involve the use of a room at each geographic location with special videocamera and document presentation facilities. In some newer approaches, the appearance that all participants are in the same room around a table is simulated. In general, traditional videoconferencing requires special telephone interconnections with wide bandwidth.

A simpler alternative to a videoconference is an audioconference, which is a similar meeting but with only voice connections. As with a videoconference, some special management is required to set up, control, and ensure security for an audioconference.

On the Web, at least one product, CU-SeeMe, offers a simple form of videoconference with each user (optionally aiming a small video camera at herself or himself) connected to other users in a pre-arranged chat session.