The difference is if you stand up in an office I can probably hear you and have some awareness of being looked at. However with this you can see my face without me knowing you're looking.

I've been on and managed remote teams. The metric of productivity is if the work is being done, not if you're at your desk staring at your screen.

There are lots of other ways to keep up with a team of "friends". Chat, email, phone calls, and arranged meetings all work great.