This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
With so many of our days spent working from home, Zoom meetings have become the new norm. The tech has been praised for its ability to bring people closer together and, while it’s certainly a plus to be able to see all of your coworkers or friends at once, there are usually cons to most technology, as well, and it’s important to be aware of the negative aspects of Zoom so you can avoid them. This is the scary downside to using Zoom that no one tells you about.
Struggling With Sleep? This Rechargeable Sound Machine Is A Total Game-Changer
There are two big downsides to using Zoom, according to Tech Expert Adam Corey, founder of Podable — but the good news is that both can be avoided.
The first has everything to do with the state of your screen before you schedule a Zoom call and make plans to provide a presentation.
"When Zoom users share their screens, they often choose to share their entire desktop which is filled with personal information,” Corey says. “Browser tabs can expose the name of your bank or if you were browsing a career site. Message notifications can compromise personal interactions."
While this may not be so much of a concern when you’re Zoom chatting with friends on a Friday night, your security becomes much more important when you are giving a presentation to 20 people at work.
"Be mindful of what tabs you have open and what links you have listed in your bookmark bar. If your computer has the option, enable the do-not-disturb mode when in meetings."
The second downside to Zoom is that unauthorized people can snoop in on your meeting.
"Most people don't think much about the recurring meetings they set up on Zoom, but they often have the same meeting ID for each time,” Corey says. “If that meeting number gets out, you can have unauthorized people listen in on calls."
Similar to how you should change your password for sites often, you should take that extra step before each Zoom meeting to provide a distinctive meeting ID, Corey says. "Don't use the same meeting ID for recurring meetings, change it every time. Also, consider using Zoom's waiting room feature to manually add individuals you approve to a meeting."
Since Zoom is likely to be a presence in our lives a bit longer, these simple steps can help you keep yourself and your privacy protected while keeping you connected to others.
