While focus on the collection of user data by video conferencing apps especially during the lockdown period zeroed in on Zoom to the point of demonization, new report points accusing fingers on others like Google Meet and Microsoft Teams as being equally culpable. Apps like Zoom despite having security issues are used extensively mostly because users don’t have any other choice. Now a new report highlights that other video conferencing apps like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Cisco’s Webex also collect a good amount of user data.

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Consumer Reports found that these video conferencing share a similar privacy policy albeit minor differences. In terms of data collection, these companies have access to information like the duration of the meeting, participants in the video call and their IP addresses as well. And with users agreeing to the privacy policies of these apps, they’re basically granting permission. User data collected during these video conferences can be used to build consumer profiles and train facial recognition systems as well, the report added. More data like audio can be accessed when users ask for a transcription of the meeting. In response to this, the companies said that they record videos or audios only when the user presses the record button, and also that none of these is “directly used for advertising”.

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These companies responded to Consumer Reports saying that “privacy is a basic human right” and that they “never rent or sell” their customers’ information. These companies did not refute the findings either. But details on what user data is collected and for what purpose hasn’t been specified though.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry