I was recently asked if I had any thoughts from a data protection view, on using Zoom. My starting point is always to ask ‘where is the personal data?’ and for Zoom it could be:
- Participant details when they register
- Recordings of the meetings (by the host or others)
- Personal data shared on the Whiteboard or in documents
- Images from webcams
I would recommend that:
- All Zoom hosts should carefully review their settings and disable every facility that is not needed
- Only record a meeting with everyone’s consent, and remind them occasionally during the meeting; let people know why you are recording it, and when you will delete it. I would suggest getting written consent or showing it on the waiting room message.
- Prevent people other than the host recording a meeting.
- Remind participants not to share personal data of themselves or others.
- Be careful what’s behind you if you turn the webcam on, and use a virtual background if possible.
If you plan to use breakout rooms (and if you don’t know what I mean contact me and I will run a quick free demo) consider whether you need to have chaperones in each room, and what safeguarding implications there may be.
I use Zoom (meetings and webinars) a great deal and if you have specific questions, do ask. One final tip – do check things work as you expect before each meeting, as Zoom have a habit of making small changes that can affect where settings and menu options are, etc.