Due to the lockdown, offices are closed and all of us are working from home. Work from home also includes participation in team meetings online through video conferencing.
Since students are also at home and have nothing to do, they are utilizing their time by participating in online webinars and courses.
For doing the same, all of us have to use various softwares, and the most popular ones are Zoom and Houseparty. While we use our laptop and phones for accessing emails, making payments and shopping online, these apps and software can add to the headache of the users.
At times, these apps pose a serious threat to the security and privacy of users.
Will it be safe to use Zoom or Houseparty? We will let you know.
Is Zoom Safe?
Zoom is a video-conferencing app which allows the users to use it for free and also provides paid plans. The customers choose between free and paid plans according to their needs. The app is trending lately due to its excessive use by MNCs and small firms alike.
The app is most suitable for work purposes due to smooth streaming and availability on both iOS and Android.
Recently, users have raised security concerns about the app which led to various people opting out of its services. According to a report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, there are various privacy and security related problems with Zoom.
One of the biggest concerns is the fact that Zoom administrators have access to the contents of a recorded call. Administrators also have access to data like IP address of participants and their location. Also there is supposed password theft fear.
Also, in cases where meetings have public links, random people crash Zoom chats, thus compromising the participants’ safety.
The founder and CEO of Zoom, Eric Yuan recognized the privacy and security concerns related to Zoom in a blog post recently and apologized for “falling short of community’s expectations”: A Message to Our Users
This revelation has further discouraged users to continue with Zoom.
Fact Found: Zoom isn’t as safe as it may seem.
Read Also: 101-Year-Old World War 2 And Spanish Flu Survivor Recovered From COVID-19
Is Houseparty Safe?
Acquired by the makers of Fortnite, this app is a famous video-chatting application and has gained popularity recently. It’s available for download free of cost on Android and iOS which makes it more attractive.
While Zoom is perfect for professional tasks, Houseparty has a more casual approach, making it famous amongst youth.
It also gives users the luxury to play games to its participants.
When we are criticizing Zoom for its security-related fall-outs, Houseparty claims to be 100% safe for use, free of risk of hacking or password theft.
According to research done by cybersecurity researcher Luka Stefano, “Houseparty has no obvious flaws or security concerns.”
Stefanko told Forbes: “I analysed the app’s permissions usage and since the app provides video chats with your friends it is logical that request permissions are necessary. I haven’t found any shady misusing of [these permissions] by the app.”
The app was questioned on social media and it was claimed that it hacked accounts, the same was denied repeatedly by experts and Houseparty.
This was also reported on CNBC: Video chat app Houseparty offers $1 million bounty for proof of sabotage after hacking rumors
Fact Found: Houseparty is safer.
Happy Quarantine!
Image Source: Google Images
Sources: New Statesman, CBS Local, iNews
Find The Blogger At: @innocentlysane
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Now all users mostly use the Zoom and Housepartyapp for video conferencing or callings, but most people didn’t know about the privacy of their data. I read the whole article and i appreciate your ideas. Everyone should read this blog. keep sharing.