22 Apr IS IT GLOOM AND DOOM OR BOOM FOR ZOOM?
As a result of COVID-19 and so many working from home or staying at home, video conferencing has become the new norm. Zoom quickly became the most popular video conferencing platform for millions including law firms. Law firms, accountants, financial planners, etc. must have confidentiality, security and privacy safeguards. A recent lawsuit, New York attorney General’s investigation and an FBI warning, have caused great concern that those safeguards have not been adequately addressed by Zoom.
Zoom was sued in California after its version used with Apple products gave users’ private information to Facebook – even if they did not own a Facebook account. Zoom admitted wrongdoing and claims this is no longer happening.
Furthermore, Zoom’s platform allows access to conversations being readily available resulting in “Zoombombing” where an uninvited guest could interrupt with insensitive remarks. The FBI has issued a warning as a result of the magnitude of Zoombombing.
Additionally, it has been reported that Zoom can access the audio and video meetings causing concern on whether the meetings are encrypted.
Zoom has addressed these concerns in several different ways as follows:
- The host of the meeting can “lock” the Zoom room once all participants are in the meeting;
- There is an option for the ability to join before the host is turned off – so no one can enter the meeting before the host; and
- Requiring a password in addition to the Zoom code before entering a meeting.
As a result, the majority of law firms still use Zoom. However, thanks to the recommendation of our social media marketing firm, Life in Motion, who advised us of the privacy issues (well in advance of the California lawsuit), our firm has used a different platform that is easier and is secure and private (each meeting has a separate encryption) reducing risk of gloom and doom. Visit them at lifeinmotion.co for more information.
If interested in learning more, consider attending our next free “Estate Planning Essentials” virtual workshop (on April 30, 2020) by calling us at (214) 720-0102 or sign up by clicking here. Our goal is to make it easy for you to attend from the comfort of wherever you reside.