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Zoom adds additional security to fend off trolls

Hosts can suspend meetings while they deal with disruptive users.

Zoom adds additional security to fend off trolls

Zoom has added some more tools to help users tackle trolls. Hosts and co-hosts can pause meetings while they deal with someone who's being disruptive. When they suspend participant activities through the security icon in the top left of the screen, all breakout rooms will close, and Zoom will put video, audio, chat, screen sharing and recording on hold. After a host has reported the user in question, they can choose which aspects of the meeting to resume.

It’s not only meeting hosts and co-hosts who can report someone to Zoom's Trust & Safety team. Participants can now do so via the security icon too. These features are available in version 5.4.3 of the desktop and mobile apps. They'll arrive on the web and virtual desktop infrastructure clients later this year.

Zoom has also launched an At Risk Meeting Notifier system. It trawls social media and other websites for meeting links, and it will let admins and account owners know by email if there's a high risk of disruption.

The company has rolled out a number of security measures this year as usage of its video conferencing tools exploded. Last month, for instance, it started rolling out end-to-end encryption. Zoom recently pledged to improve security as part of a proposed settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.