A professor from the University of Miami was fired following an inappropriate reveal during a class session over Zoom. Unlike the other issues facing the video chat service, this is more of a case of a self-inflicted data breach.
With so many now forced to stay home, video-based conferencing and communication apps have become the new norm. This is not just for those working for home, or trying to stay in contact with family and friends, but also for the education sector, with many institutions turning to apps like Zoom to ensure classes can continue and students don’t fall behind. However, this doesn’t always mean things go according to plan for the teachers and organizers.
According to The Miami Hurricane, a local university professor was leading a class and screen-sharing over Zoom. As the class session progressed, a student happened to notice that one of the bookmarked tabs on the professor’s computer was for something less educational and more personal. In spite of the professor remaining unaware that the student had spotted the bookmark, and commented on it during the call, the rest of the class were quick to make sure the wider internet learned of the issue. Most notably, by taking to social media platforms to share screenshots and videos, including on TikTok. According to the same report, once the posts went viral, the professor was removed from the University of Miami teaching position.
When Zooming Goes Wrong
Zoom has already raised plenty of security concerns, due to the nature of Zoom-bombing, where uninvited individuals decide to crash a Zoom call. Sometimes these crashes are just for the amusement and social media likes, while in other instances, they can take a dark turn quickly. However, company processes and features were not the issue here, and so no one can really blame Zoom’s suspect security for this particular event. Instead, it is yet another example of how working from home and online can create a false sense of security. While home is normally somewhere many consider to be a safe environment, video-conferencing and chats invite much of the world into people’s homes. Sometimes, that can also means into their private life as well.
Again, this is not an isolated incident, but just the latest one to hit the headlines. Earlier in the week, a city official also found themselves in hot water (and losing their job) after they appeared to be drinking beer and throwing a cat during a Zoom call. While no one can really blame either of these people for losing their jobs, considering the actions were their own, and questionable, others can use these instances as a reminder of the – direct and indirect – dangers of using video-chatting services, like Zoom.
