Stage user replacement techniques for online video conferences

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

• connecting a plurality of user devices to a communication session in which a plurality of participants of the plurality of user devices communicate via the communication session;
• providing, for each of the plurality of user devices, a user interface including a stage display area in which at least one participant of the plurality of participants is displayed as at least one current stage user within the stage display area for the communication session and one or more other display areas in which each of the plurality of participants are identified for the communication session;
• providing, to a particular user interface for a particular user device of a particular participant, a management interface element that enables the particular participant to manage the at least one current stage user displayed in the stage display area for the communication session;
• and
• upon receiving one user interaction from the particular participant via the management interface element to select at least one new stage user for the communication session, automatically performing both of:
• replacing the at least one current stage user for the communication session displayed within the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device for the particular participant with one or more participants of the plurality of participants that are to be displayed as one or more new stage users within the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device;
• and
• synchronizing the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device of the particular participant including the one or more new stage users to be displayed on other stage display areas of other user interfaces of other participants of the communication session.

A system comprising:

• at least one memory element for storing data;
• and
• at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the system to perform operations, comprising:
• connecting a plurality of user devices to a communication session in which a plurality of participants of the plurality of user devices communicate via the communication session;
• providing, for each of the plurality of user devices, a user interface including a stage display area in which at least one participant of the plurality of participants is displayed as at least one current stage user within the stage display area for the communication session and one or more other display areas in which each of the plurality of participants are identified for the communication session;
• providing, to a particular user interface for a particular user device of a particular participant, a management interface element that enables the particular participant to manage the at least one current stage user displayed in the stage display area for the communication session;
• and
• upon receiving one user interaction from the particular participant via the management interface element to select at least one new stage user for the communication session, automatically performing both of:
• replacing the at least one current stage user for the communication session displayed within the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device for the particular participant with one or more participants of the plurality of participants that are to be displayed as one or more new stage users within the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device;
• and
• synchronizing the stage display area of the particular user interface of the particular user device of the particular participant including the one or more new stage users to be displayed on other stage display areas of other user interfaces of other participants of the communication session.