To quote every single email I have both sent and received in the past month, we are living in strange times. Many workplaces, schools, and friend groups have had their regular activities disrupted, and human contact is (temporarily) no longer an option. With nowhere else to go, the world has turned online. While there are a number of options for meeting and collaborating online, Zoom has quickly become a top choice for people around the world.
Zoom is a San Jose, California-based video communications company founded in 2011. [1] It allows groups of up to 100 to meet in an online space. A free version limits meetings to 40 minutes, whereas a paid version allows for 24-hour meetings, with options for over 100 users on bigger paid packages. [2] Beyond its ability to host an entire class or large group in one conversation (the Hamilton cast reunion on John Krasinski’s Some Good News episode 2, anyone?) and the possibility for fun custom backgrounds, Zoom is also relatively user-friendly and has a variety of privacy options. All in all, it meets a lot of the needs its users have in this new and unexpectedly digital world.
Now to the bad news. Until the company began patching its holes in the past few weeks, Zoom had a number of major security issues. As it stands, there are over 500,000 Zoom accounts (usernames and passwords) for sale on the dark web. [3] Many employers have banned their employees from using Zoom due to these privacy concerns, although many institutions of higher education continue to use it. [4] “Zoombombing” is another Zoom privacy issue which has garnered major attention, caused by a previous Zoom policy which made all Zoom meetings open to the public by default. This allowed trolls to find and disrupt open Zoom calls with offensive and sometimes violent imagery. In Princeton, New Jersey, a children’s virtual storytelling event was interrupted by a scantily clad man shouting racial slurs. [5] Dr. Dennis Johnson found a dissertation defense meeting with his PhD advisors interrupted by someone posting racial slurs and pornographic images. [6]
To address Zoombombing and other privacy matters, Zoom announced on April 2 that it would pause all feature updates for 90 days in order to focus on tightening the app’s security. [7] Additionally, Zoom has changed its default settings in order to require a password when users join a conversation, effectively ending Zoombombing. [8] Zoom has also updated its privacy policies to clarify that they will no longer sell personal data (an issue previously), do not monitor meetings, and are investing in enhancing their privacy policies and settings particularly as they pertain to underage users. [9]
So Zoom has some flaws, but they appear to be actively trying to address them. What does that mean for you as a Zoom user going forward? Well, first and easiest, make sure you have a complicated password. Your best defense for your personal Zoom use is a good password which will be hard to hack. Make sure to read Zoom’s Privacy Policy before use (and any other communications app you use, for that matter). If you are planning on discussing any extremely personal or sensitive matters, consider using an app with more established security measures, like FaceTime, which is encrypted (Zoom is not). You can find alternative apps by checking out this Guardian article which lays out a plethora of Zoom alternatives, their pros, and their cons. Finally, take a look at Digital Tattoo’s Who Owns Your Data?, which can help you understand the data risks associated with using apps like Zoom.
In summary: use a complicated password, don’t share state secrets over unsecured apps, and happy Zooming!
Let us know in the comments whether or not you’re using Zoom, or an alternate. Do you feel safe using this technology? What made you use the platform you’re using over an alternative?
References
[1] Zoom Video Communications Inc | Bloomberg
[2] Zoom Meeting Plans for Your Business | Zoom
[3] Over 500,000 Zoom accounts being sold on dark web: Protect yourself now | Tom’s Guide
[4] Zoom: Every security issue uncovered in the video chat app | CNet
[5] ‘Zoombombing’ Attacks Disrupt Classes | Inside Higher Ed
[6] Dissertation Defense on Zoom Interrupted by Racist Attack | Inside Higher Ed
[7] Zoom CEO responds to security and privacy concerns: ‘We had some missteps’ | The Verge
[8] Zoom privacy and security issues: Here’s everything that’s wrong (so far) | Tom’s Guide
Written by Samantha Summers
Edited by Eseohe Ojo
Feature Image by mohammed_hassan on Pixabay
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