Consumer Reports recently uncovered a number of privacy concerns with Zoom, a videoconferencing service that many consumers, businesses, and schools are using during the coronavirus pandemic.
Researchers at Consumer Reports’ Digital Lab found that Zoom, like many digital platforms, outlines in its privacy policy that it collects personal information about its users, but doesn’t disclose details about how that information is used for advertising, marketing, or other business purposes.
This information, known as “customer content” could include cloud video recordings and information that was shared during the recordings such as instant messages, files, and whiteboards.
After the findings by Consumer Reports, Zoom said it made significant changes to its privacy policies, which were announced in a blog post and described in a Consumer Reports article.
The updated policy now states that "customer content" isn’t allowed for advertising purposes, that video is only retained at the user's request, and that it's not accessed by Zoom. The new policy also provides more insight into the type of consumer data Zoom collects, such as phone numbers and user names.
While Consumer Reports said it’s pleased to see the quick response by Zoom, the testing organization thinks more work needs to be done. For example, Zoom should clearly differentiate between hosts and participants, and require participants to click on a consent button before a recording can begin.
