Is Zoom safe for e-learning? 5 simple tips for safe video conferencing ⋆ Profection Security

If you have school-age children that have been thrust into e-learning, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of Zoom, the video conferencing platform that’s become a household name over a matter of weeks.

Zoom has been making the headlines recently due to its surging popularity for use in home schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has also come under fire for a number of security and privacy issues.

Companies issue software updates for a reason – install them. The latest version of Zoom is 4.6.9 as of April 5th.

Zoom, like other conferencing applications such as WebEx and GotoMeeting, and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack have become essential tools for many businesses and schools in today’s world of social distancing. I knew Zoom had arrived when my 4 year old son and I both had a Zoom conference scheduled at the same time. His was with pre-school classmates and mine with business colleagues.

So, is Zoom safe for e-learning? The simple answer is… It can be.

Starting a meeting is almost too easy. One-click meetings can often be a trade off between ease-of-use and security.

In the name of simple security, here are 5 things you can do to make sure your children have a safe and private video conferencing experience.

Keep your operating system and apps up to date. If you’re prompted to update the software, do it. The good news is that most apps update automatically, but it doesn’t hurt to check for the latest version.
Use passwords to keep your meetings private. Zoom has started to require meeting passwords by default for free accounts, so you should be in good shape.
Only share meeting invitations with people you know. Do not post meeting links or passwords on public websites or social media where strangers can see them.
Protect personal information. Avoid sharing personal information during the meeting and in chat. Be mindful of the background in your video to make sure you are not revealing anything in your home that might help a stranger determine your location.
Cover your webcam when not in use. You can use fancy removable camera stickers, but a small piece of masking tape does just as well.

In the Zoom app, click your profile icon and select Check for Updates to see if you are running the latest version.

This new way of learning is with us to stay, so it’s important that teachers, parents, and our children know how to use these tools safely and privately. How do I know? Our family of six has four Zoom meetings scheduled for Monday.

Stay safe and be well.

#simplesecurity