Using Zoom During Lockdown

This post was not originally planned but I thought it was important to acknowledge the tremendous growth in the use of the video conferencing platform ‘Zoom’ during the lockdown. Thousands have flocked to the platform for undertaking meetings as well as social calls. Free for unlimited one to one calls and up to 40 minutes with three people or more, it is no wonder that Zoom has attracted such interest. It also has a number of additional features, including the ability to record video and audio of Zoom sessions which personally I have found tremendously useful when it comes to interviewing people.

Zoom has surged above its closest competitors, and is the 10th fastest growing app in the workplace:

‘Businesses at Work Report 2020’ from OKTA

Indeed, it seems like everyone knows about Zoom now. There are even memorial services and religious services being carried out over the platform.

Why has it done so well?

• It is free for 2 people unlimited and 3+ people for up to 40 minutes

• It is simple to use

• You don’t need a login to access a meeting

How to avoid ‘Zoombombing’?

Zoombombing is when someone takes advantage of the platform’s randonly generated ID meeting codes and lack of passwords (passwords are an option) to hack into a meeting a broadcast offensive material.

• Use a password for room access

• Make use of the ‘waiting room’ feature so that the host can control who enters and who doesn’t enter the room

• Do not use your personal meeting ID to host public events

• Avoid the ‘Join Before Host’ option when setting up your meeting