Online meetings, conferences, and webinars have become a trend after the pandemic gripped the world into its clutches. One of the major platforms on which we conduct online meetings is Zoom. During the meeting, we give the software various permissions to access the camera, audio and files.
But, before using Zoom, have you ever read about its privacy policy and terms and conditions. Zoom had a lot of legal cases filed against the company due to its poor privacy policies.
After these legal complications, the company has finally made notable changes in its privacy policy.
Nevertheless, let us now understand what kind of legal issues you may face while using Zoom.
Security Issues
There are a lot of security flaws while using Zoom. The flaws in the security allow the users to break into the user’s system easily. It also gives the people in the meeting track hand movements, through which the other person can know what keys the other participant is typing. This also includes passwords. Zoom also fails to provide controls to prevent meeting participants from distributing data obtained during the meeting.
Data Sale
Lately, many legal lawsuits have been filed against Zoom, accusing the firm of collecting and selling private information obtained through the participants during the meeting. They are accused of allegedly selling this data to advertisers. According to research, the most vulnerable people falling prey to this are iPhone users.
Breach in Privacy
Another caution while using Zoom is not disclosing your personal information. The personal information shared on the Zoom platform during a meeting is combined with other information and used to facilitate identity theft. It is very simple to get information out of you while in a Zoom meeting. Those who commit such crimes need only your name, phone number, and place of employment. They also use this to file a fake unemployment chain.
Zoombombing
This is a kind of intrusion in the Zoom meeting. This is a common type of system break-in. Such intruders may enter a meeting uninvited by mistake or by deliberation. They create embarrassment, but most importantly, they mostly intrude on meetings with the intent of criminal mischief. Intruders can sometimes also make some sleuth comments in the middle of the meeting, disrupting the agenda.
They also could make comments about the firm, which would instigate the participants to reveal some proprietary information that could cause harm. Such intrusion in a non-password-protected meeting is called cyber trespass. This is harmful and can leak the personal information of the participants.
Reveals personal information
While attending a Zoom meeting, we are conscious of how our background will look like. We tend to put the most decorative items around us, which may look pleasant in the background while participating in the meeting. But did you know that this simple background makeover can reveal your personal information?
How? Your background may inadvertently reveal information regarding your religion, race, orientation, age, and class. Some background items may also reveal your financial status and your health issues. For an intruder, this basic information is sufficient to make you fall prey to their fraudulent online activities.
Also, while intruding on a meeting, people with criminal mischief intent may make some harsh comments on your religion, race, or taste of objects which may offend you publically. This spoils the charm and agenda of the meeting.
Did you know your Zoom meetings are recorded?
Zoom does not inform its participants that every meeting conducted on this platform is recorded. Moreover, these recorded meetings may be posted on any secure or non-secure platforms on the internet without the participants’ knowledge. Such recording without the knowledge of the client is called wiretapping. And remember, if something is posted on the internet, it is there forever, unless it is deleted.
Also, Zoom has a feature called ‘attendee attention tracking feature’. What does this do? This gives access to the meeting host to monitor how much attention the participant is paying in the Zoom meeting and how much they are distracted by other electronic devices. This feature leads to a breach of privacy.
One of the biggest challenges is the attorney-client privilege. Lack of proper security and privacy in Zoom meetings leads to posting of videos of recorded meetings on various unsecured Zoom platforms. This comprises the attorney-client privilege. To have this, the lawyer should know who has access to which videos and where these videos are posted. Zoom should run a disclaimer before the commencement of the meetings and take the clients’ prior permission to record a meeting.
Some Key pointers in Zoom’s terms of service
Take a note of these pointers mentioned in Zoom’s terms of service, in case you are in a legal battle with Zoom:
- The participants must choose the I Agree on button while logging into a Zoom meeting
- Zoom only offers to leave meeting option after you enter the meeting
- Zoom does not take responsibility for the content used in the meetings, lost or deleted content
- Zoom forces participants to agree to waive suing Zoom individually and forbids class-action lawsuit
- Zoom is required to adjudicate the legal suits in Santa Clara County, California.
- Zoom’s policy is not clear on cyber insurance for loss of content and malicious cyber attacks in Zoom meetings.
Precautions to be taken before Zoom sessions
- Read the terms and conditions of service properly
- Try and keep the background plain
- Do not reveal any personal information in a Zoom meeting
- Password protect all Zoom meetings
- Use Private meeting settings
- Do not let participants join the meeting unless the Host joins
- Prefer using a per meeting id rather than a personal meeting ID
- Disable screen sharing
- Mute participants when the speaker is saying something
- Allow one participant to speak at a time
- Do not have any credentials of anyone
- Inform participants if the meeting is recorded
Conclusion
Attending Zoom meetings has become a mandate for those working from home, students to attend webinars, etc. However, taking necessary precautions can help you fall prey to any cyber fraud caused by people with criminal mind intent.
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