The year 2020 has changed the reality of our lives with the current pandemic. Most professionals are working from home and students are having online classes. The use of e-commerce portals, online supermarkets, and online pharmacies has increased exponentially as people can get all essential and non-essential items delivered to their doorsteps.
Although the present situation mandates social distancing, people can virtually connect with others through the video conferencing software Zoom. The peer to peer software platform is appropriate for video conferencing, telecommuting, audio conferencing, online tutoring, and live chats. The Zoom application has been in the news for security and privacy issues. This is especially true for the issue of increasing zoom-bombing, where uninvited people intrude and disrupt meetings. Privacy and security vulnerabilities can be prevented in Zoom by changing settings.
Zoom Call Settings
Enable Waiting Rooms
The admins have the authority to set up waiting rooms at the user level, group level, or account level. Waiting rooms can also be implemented for all meeting participants. Additionally, admins can limit waiting rooms only to guests that are not included in their accounts. When waiting rooms are made optional by the meeting hosts, they can always be enabled through the settings menu that is present in their user profile.
Set up Meeting Passwords
Zoom allows its users to set passwords for specific meetings. Passwords can also be enabled at the account level, group level, or user level for all webinars and online meetings. The owners of Zoom accounts as well as administrators have the power to lock password settings. This way all webinars and online meetings of that particular account would require passwords.
Connect by Domain
Users can participate in meetings only if their email accounts are there on the approved list. They can also join meetings by signing into a zoom account, provided that they are verified users. Individuals, who have a managed domain enabled on their account, have the authority to implement Single Sign-On (SSO) when they want to sign in with that particular domain. Alternatively, users can also be allowed to sign in with Google or Facebook.
Turn off Join Before Host
Turning off Join Before Host prevents unwanted people from sabotaging a meeting. However, this feature is useful for scheduling a meeting, when the primary host is not available. The first participant to join a scheduled meeting automatically becomes the host of the meeting, who would have total control over the meeting. However, the primary host could take over after joining the meeting.
Restrict Screen Sharing
The default setting of the Zoom application allows only hosts to share screens. This can be changed if the host wants other participants to share their respective screens. The host can change this setting during a meeting by selecting the up arrow adjacent to Share Screen, then clicking Advanced Sharing Options, and choosing from the Who can share option. This restriction is conducive for avoiding intrusive sharing by uninvited users during the meeting.
Lock the Session
There is a security feature in Zoom that lets a host lock a meeting, such that no new participants can join that meeting. Once a meeting is locked, participants cannot enter even with the meeting ID and password. To lock a meeting a host can click participants at the lower end of the window, after which a pop-up box will appear with a Lock Meeting button. It is recommended to lock a meeting once all participants have joined.
Remove an Unwanted User
There can be instances when a meeting has already begun and you come across an unwanted participant. You would then have to access the Participants menu, and then select that user’s name, after which many options will appear. By selecting the Remove option you will remove that particular user. In this manner, the meeting can be conducted smoothly without any disruption.
Report a User
In a meeting, hosts and co-hosts can report users who violate the terms of service to the trust and safety team. Correctice action would be taken by the team after reviewing the user for any violation on the platform. A host can also send an email with details such as the incident date, meeting ID, name of the user, and type of violation.
Manage Recording
Zoom account owners and administrators can manage recording, which lets them view, share, and delete. The recordings could include videos, audios, chat files as well as transcripts. A host can allow participants to record meetings by enabling the recording option. This can be changed by disabling the recording option.
Turn off Private Chat
In a Zoom meeting window, there is a provision for participants to chat privately. The host of the session can disable private chat by clicking more at the bottom of the window, then selecting the No One under Allow Attendees to Chat With options.
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