System and method for providing a shared canvas for chat participant

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions comprising:

• instructions for receiving multiple video signals from multiple chat participants of a live video chat session;
• instructions for combining the video signals into a shared canvas, the shared canvas providing a representation of the multiple chat participants as if the multiple chat participants are at one physical venue, the shared canvas comprising multiple regions that include boundaries for each of the multiple chat participants, wherein each of the regions is selectively mapped to a video signal from one of the multiple chat participants;
• instructions for transmitting the shared canvas to the chat participants, wherein the shared canvas is synchronized among the chat participants;
• instructions for generating a virtual object feature that enables the specific chat participant to insert a virtual object into the shared canvas and pass the virtual object to another of multiple regions in the shared canvas.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
• receiving multiple video signals, including audio signals, from multiple chat participants of a live video chat session,
• combining the video signals into a shared canvas, the shared canvas including multiple regions,
• wherein each of the regions is bounded to separately present a video signal from one of the chat participants,
• providing the shared canvas to the chat participants,
• wherein the shared canvas is substantially synchronized among the chat participants, and
• wherein providing includes:
• enabling a specific chat participant to insert a virtual object into the shared canvas,
• wherein the virtual object is shareable among the multiple regions from one region to another region in the shared.