Zoom Video Communications agreed to boost its security to settle claims it misled users about access to online meetings and other issues, the US Federal Trade Commission said.
Since at least 2016, the videoconferencing platform, which skyrocketed in popularity this year because of coronavirus lockdowns, said it offered a higher level of encryption for its meetings than it actually did and also misled participants about the level of security for storing meeting recordings, the FTC alleged on Monday in a statement.
“During the pandemic, practically everyone – families, schools, social groups, businesses – is using videoconferencing to communicate, making the security of these platforms more critical than ever,” the director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, Andrew Smith, said in the statement.
“Zoom’s security practices didn’t line up with its promises, and this action will help to make sure that Zoom meetings and data about Zoom users are protected.”
As part of the settlement, Zoom will have to document and assess security risks every other year, develop ways to manage them, deploy more methods to protect against unauthorised access of the network and take other steps, including preventing “the use of known compromised user credentials,” the FTC said.
Zoom said it has already put in place the security improvements required by the settlement with the commission.
“We take seriously the trust our users place in us every day, particularly as they rely on us to keep them connected through this unprecedented global crisis, and we continuously improve our security and privacy programmes,” Zoom said in a statement. “We are proud of the advancements we have made to our platform, and we have already addressed the issues identified by the FTC.”
The company’s shares declined 13 per cent to $438.49 at 12.14pm in New York on Monday. The stock dropped earlier in the day on news that Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective in a trial. Other companies that have benefited during lockdowns spurred by pandemic, including Peloton Interactive, also fell on the news. Zoom had jumped more than six-fold this year through to last Friday’s close, while its tally of daily meeting participants had surged to 300 million from 10 million.
Zoom had hoped that scrutiny over its security lapses was behind it. The company instituted a 90-day security plan on April 1, during which it froze development of other features not related to user privacy and safety. Zoom held public weekly meetings to discuss the updates of its efforts, which focused principally on developing the end-to-end encryption it had long promised. It’s the highest level of data privacy available, in which no one – not even Zoom – can decipher communications. The FTC alleged that claiming to have this form of encryption was one of Zoom’s biggest deceptions. The company has also made it easier for hosts to assert control over meetings by screening, muting and kicking out uninvited guests or disruptors.
Since Zoom’s initial 90-day plan ended, the company has promised periodic updates on security. Zoom is currently on a quest to be an even bigger part of users’ lives, by debuting a service to provide philanthropic, free and paid events, such as yoga or language-learning classes, and has also developed Zapps, a way to better integrate Zoom with more business applications so that workers are more productive on the platform. Chief financial officer Kelly Steckelberg said as recently as last month that security is now built into every product the company is developing.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Tomorrow 2021
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
MORE ON AFGHANISTAN
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Tomorrow 2021
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
