A web cam system has a local end computer coupled to a local end web cam, and a remote end computer coupled to a remote end web cam, with the computers coupled to a network and communicating with each other via a messaging application. A facial expression of a local end user is captured at the local end web cam. A control signal that corresponds to the captured facial expression is generated at the local end computer, and then transferred via the network to the remote end computer, which generates an indication signal to an indicator at the remote end web cam. A response is output at the indicator that is indicative of the captured facial expression.