Zoom Video’s chief executive said he “messed up” in running a service that has been easily hacked, attracting scrutiny from regulators and privacy advocates as well as unwanted lawsuits.
"I really messed up as chief executive and we need to win their [users'] trust back. This kind of thing shouldn't have happened … if we mess up again, it's done," Eric Yuan said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
He said end-to-end encryption to secure conversations was on the cards, but a "full-encryption feature won't be ready for a few months".
The videoconferencing app has had a huge increase in users over the past two months as hundreds of millions of people are confined to their homes to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
From enabling business conferences, client meetings and training webinars, Zoom Video is also used for virtual school lessons, salsa classes, yoga sessions, college reunion parties and dinner gatherings.
But the practice of "Zoombombing" has presented a problem – entering others' meetings and then sharing hate speech or pornographic images.
“I thought I was letting our users down … I feel an obligation to win the users’ trust back,” said Mr Yuan.
Partly propelled by Zoombombing incidents, the FBI issued a warning about videoconference hijacking last week.
Zoom, which was floated in April 2019, said that the offices of more than 25 attorneys general in the United States had raised questions about privacy issues and it is working with the authorities.
A user also filed a lawsuit claiming that the site had disclosed personal information without his permission.
The current number of daily meeting users across Zoom’s paid and free services has surged to 200 million, from around 10 million in December.
Its shares have more than doubled since January and its market capitalisation stands at $40.3 billion (Dh147.9bn).
For the past few weeks, supporting this influx of users has been a “tremendous undertaking and our sole focus”, Mr Yuan said in the company’s latest blog.
“However, we recognise that we have fallen short of the community’s – and our own – privacy and security expectations.”
On Friday, security researchers at University of Toronto's Citizen Lab said the company used inferior encryption technology, routed some calls made in North America through China and, in some cases, stored data on servers in the world's second-largest economy.
Zoom said it has taken steps to address the concerns.
“In our urgency to come to the aid of people, we added server capacity and deployed it quickly," it said.
"In that process, we failed to fully implement our usual geofencing best practices.”
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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