This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
As the world adapts to the new normal, virtual meetings have become the norm. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom has risen to prominence, increasing its daily users from 10 million in December to 300 million by April. However, rivals like Google and Microsoft are now vying for a share of this coveted space.
Google Meet, previously known as Hangouts Meet, is now freely available to everyone with a Google account. This move is aimed at countering Zoom's popularity, allowing users to hold meetings with up to 100 people. The service was initially designed for educational and enterprise needs but is now accessible to a wider audience.
However, Zoom has faced criticism over 'zoombombing,' where uninvited individuals join meetings and share offensive content. The FBI has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and hate images. Google has emphasized the importance of privacy and security in its Meet service.
According to Javier Soltero, VP of G Suite, 'We designed Meet to operate on a secure foundation, providing the protections needed to keep our users safe, their data secure, and their information private.' Some of the security measures taken by Google include providing host controls, restricting anonymous users, and encrypting video meetings and recordings.
Zoom has also faced criticism over sharing user data with Facebook through its 'Login with Facebook' feature. However, this feature has been discontinued. Google Meet's free service is set to be rolled out in May.
