COVID-19 is making its way around the world and web conferencing software is helping “flatten the curve.” Right now, we rely heavily upon video technology as a lifeline to the outside world.
Arguably, Zoom is the go-to platform for video communication. But is a communication platform that has come under fire recently prepared for an influx of users? It begs the question:
Is Zoom the best choice for your conferencing needs?
What precautions and security measures are in place to accommodate the peak in traffic that shows no signs of slowing down? Will user privacy be protected? How will unwanted hackers be kept from intruding? Is user information being exploited?
There are plenty of question marks.
According to The New York Times, these questions and more were written in a letter by the office of New York’s attorney general, eager to uncover Zoom’s “data privacy and security practices” in light of recent events.
Savvy hackers managed to infiltrate one of Zoom’s (and any video conference software’s) most popular screen sharing feature, to “hijack meetings and do things like interrupt educational sessions or post white supremacist’s messages to a webinar on anti-Semitism.”
This new trend that is hopefully stopped before it begins, has been referred to as “Zoombombing.” In other words, precisely what you don’t want to happen in an online meeting.
Breaking news:
At the end of March 2020, a Zoom user just filed a class-action lawsuit. Vice reports: “The lawsuit argues that Zoom violates California’s new data protection law by not obtaining proper consent from users about the transfer of the data.” Allegedly, the Zoom app sent personal information using a “unique advertiser identifier” to Facebook and other third parties.
Other accounts of Zoom “behaving badly” have surfaced too.
Vice reports: “What the company [Zoom] and its privacy policy don’t make clear is that the iOS version of the Zoom app is sending some analytics data to Facebook, even if Zoom users don’t have a Facebook account, according to a Motherboard analysis of the app.”
This isn’t a new problem, either.
Back in 2019, it was discovered that hackers could spy on Mac users through the Zoom app via webcam. “For Zoom users to invite people to a video-conferencing meeting on the app, they need only share a web link. If clicked on, the link will automatically start up the Zoom app—assuming the user has it installed—and begin recording through Mac’s web camera.
The same feature can be exploited to spy on Zoom users, according to security researcher Jonathan Leitschuh, who started investigating the app earlier this year,” from PC Mag.
There are just far too many reasons to consider a Zoom alternative.
Enter Callbridge: The Zoom Alternative
First-class audio, video, and web conferencing that bridges the gap for virtual and real-world meetings, perfect for professional and personal use, from office to home.
Whether you run a business overseeing a distributed team; work in the medical field sharing confidential patient files and administration work or are at home with your kids online,
Callbridge’s feature-rich technology is safeguarded with a 128-bit encrypted connection.
Your security is taken seriously:
- Your information is for us, and only us, to help us serve you better. It isn’t handed out and sold to third-party providers outside of the service.
- Your meetings are locked and held between you and your invited participants only, without the fear of intrusion or “hijacking” of video cameras (in accordance with the laws and regulations of your country).
- Your video and audio conferences are protected using enterprise-grade code, rigorously tested before going to market.
Additional security features provide peace of mind when sharing extra-sensitive information.
Meeting Lock: Start your meeting and lock it. No intruders. No spying. Latecomers require permission.
Security Code: Add a layer of protection. Access is granted only to participants with the code.
One-Time Access Code: Apply an encrypted and bespoke code that expires after one use.
Callbridge is the award-winning two-way communication platform that uses cutting edge virtual security measures, so you can trust the technology that keeps your business moving and your family together.
Callbridge lets you enjoy the same features as Zoom:
- Use screen sharing to share your screen
- Download the app
- Joining a meeting from the online meeting room
- Moderate sessions with in-meeting controls
- Meet without downloading
- Invite more participants
- Schedule meetings in advance or right now
- Sync to Google and Outlook
- Join a meeting via Android or iOS
- Use an online whiteboard
- Record audio and video conferences
- And more!
Plus Callbridge users gain access to artificial intelligence tools, custom branding, meeting transcriptions, live video streaming – and more.
If you’re searching for a Zoom video conferencing alternative that is 100% private, trustworthy and simple to use; if you rely on video conferencing to stay on top of work from home or as the life support that connects you to your friends and family around the world; if you want to rest assured knowing your information is secure…
