--- title: "How to Protect Yourself in the Age of Videoconferencing Calls" id: "49738" type: "post" slug: "how-to-protect-yourself-in-the-age-of-videoconferencing-calls" published_at: "2020-03-31T21:42:59+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T03:14:05+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/03/31/how-to-protect-yourself-in-the-age-of-videoconferencing-calls/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/03/31/how-to-protect-yourself-in-the-age-of-videoconferencing-calls.md" excerpt: "Zoom calls, for one, aren’t as private as you may think. Here are some ways to protect yourself as we work—and play—at home during the pandemic." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "biosecurity" - "privacy" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Employee (Non-Manager)" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » How to Protect Yourself in the Age of Videoconferencing Calls Suddenly, videoconferencing is everywhere. We use it for work, for school, for exercise, and to socialize during the coronavirus pandemic. But there is a darker side, privacy experts say. The Silicon Valley videoconferencing app Zoom, in particular, is finding itself under scrutiny for data privacy and security concerns. The app—which reserves the right to store a user’s personal data—[was downloaded 2.13 million times around the world on March 23, (opens in a new tab)](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/mar/31/zoom-booms-as-demand-for-video-conferencing-tech-grows-in-coronavirus-outbreak) the day a lockdown was announced in the UK. On Monday, the FBI’s Boston field office warned of[a surge in “Zoom-bombing (opens in a new tab)](https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-warns-zoom-bombing-where-hackers-hijack-video-conferences-after-two-schools-affected-1495157) ,” the practice of unwanted guests intruding on video meetings for malicious purposes, after two schools were affected. On the same day, the office of New York’s attorney general, Letitia James,[sent Zoom a letter (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/technology/new-york-attorney-general-zoom-privacy.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_NN_p_20200331&instance_id=17204&nl=morning-briefing®i_id=9579675§ion=topNews&segment_id=23382&te=1&user_id=ec26643c56b71d4e5e0ce617f615106b) asking what, if any, new security measures the company has put in place to handle increased traffic on its network and to detect hackers. ### Getting “Zoom-Bombed” > My class just got zoom-bombed by a British teen. He didn’t do anything profane or inappropriate though, he was just chilling. > > — Emily Lussier (@erlussier) [March 31, 2020 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/erlussier/status/1245002538728017921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Here are some tips to protect your next Zoom videoconferencing event, from [Zoom (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.zoom.us/wordpress/2020/03/20/keep-the-party-crashers-from-crashing-your-zoom-event/) , [the FBI (opens in a new tab)](https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/boston/news/press-releases/fbi-warns-of-teleconferencing-and-online-classroom-hijacking-during-covid-19-pandemic) , and *[Consumer Reports (opens in a new tab)](https://www.consumerreports.org/video-conferencing-services/zoom-teleconferencing-privacy-concerns/)*: - Keep your Zoom app updated. - Do not make meetings or classrooms public. - [Lock the meeting. (opens in a new tab)](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362603-Host-and-Co-Host-Controls-in-a-Meeting?zcid=1231&_ga=2.144546037.1114955913.1585670904-2096267669.1581637894) - [Set up two-factor authentication. (opens in a new tab)](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360033559832-Meeting-and-Webinar-Passwords-?zcid=1231&_ga=2.144546037.1114955913.1585670904-2096267669.1581637894) - Turn screen-sharing options to “host only.” - [Learn how to remove unwanted participants. (opens in a new tab)](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005759423-Managing-participants-in-a-meeting?zcid=1231&_ga=2.115724742.1114955913.1585670904-2096267669.1581637894) - Keep your camera and microphone turned off unless you are actually speaking. - Use a background provided by Zoom or use your own photo to safeguard your privacy. - If you plan to record the call, require participants to click on a consent button before recording begins. - Be aware that Zoom has an [“attention tracking” (opens in a new tab)](https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115000538083-Attendee-attention-tracking) feature to monitor whether a participant clicks away from the screen. (sam thomas/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Jeff Hsin](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/jeff-hsin/) Tags: [#biosecurity](https://associationsnow.com/tag/biosecurity/) [#privacy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/privacy/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [VideoMelvin Tennant, CAE, President & CEO of Meet Minneapolis, Welcomes You to Great Ideas 2026September 2, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/02/melvin-tennant-cae-president-ceo-of-meet-minneapolis-welcomes-you-to-great-ideas-2026/) - [VideoASAE TV Daily Recap: Final Day at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/24/asae-tv-daily-recap-final-day-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F03%2F31%2Fhow-to-protect-yourself-in-the-age-of-videoconferencing-calls%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !