FBI flags privacy issues on video meeting app

Tribune News ServiceNew Delhi, April 3

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has flagged privacy issues over a video meeting app being extensively used by Indian Government officials for internal and, at times, confidential deliberations in the absence of physical meetings due to the Covid scare.

Even sensitive ministries such as Home Affairs and External Affairs have been using the video meeting app (Zooms) for internal deliberations. Following FBI revelations on porn material popping up, more reports have tumbled out on the lack of user privacy and security in the app, forcing its founder and CEO Eric Yuan to apologise.

“We recognise that we have fallen short of the community’s privacy and security expectations. For that, I am deeply sorry…,’’ he said in a social media post. Over the next 90 days, the company planned to dedicate the resources needed to better identify, address and fix issues proactively, Yuan promised. That, however, is too late for officials here, who are looking for more secure applications.

Zoom had stuck gold with the Covid crises that discourages physical proximity. From one million daily participants in December, its usage jumped to over 200 million daily participants in March.