Digital Marketers have been using Zoom for a while, but it seems that the consumer world discovered Zoom as COVID-19 forced people to work from home. Suddenly, "Zoom" has become the word that describes an entire category. Similar to the way Fed Ex and Kleenex create a clear connection between people and a service, Zoom has become the same for many people today.
Why didn't GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, or Skype take the mantle? We don't know, but with fame comes burden and Zoom CEO Eric Yuan shares some of their challenges since their volume has skyrocketed during the coronavirus outbreak.
Massive Surge of Users Due to COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders
With the massive surge of users to the platform last month, privacy issues have arised as "zoom bombers," or "gate crashers" have increasingly targeted the streaming service with the goal of disrupting video conferences. Essentially, it’s when an unauthorized person gains access to a private Zoom meeting. It’s relatively harmless, but it’s certainly disrupting college courses and business meetings alike. According to Yuan, the necessary security features are already built in, but the company failed to educate new users about the recommended security settings. They have since released a series of security suggestions to assist new users to the platform.
Download Now: 119 Customer Loyalty Ideas to Combat COVID-19
However, the issue of “zoom bombing” may be the least of our worries as the company itself collects an enormous amount of data which raises concerns about consumer privacy. Referring to its privacy policy, users agree to the collection of their name, address, email, phone number, and also information about IP addresses and device type. Did we miss anything? Oh, that's right — they're also collecting data for users without a Zoom account.
Although communications tools, such as Zoom, have played a vital role in keeping the wheels turning of global corporations to local schools, and just about everything else in between — we must vigilante of the possible security risks.
