Centre Bans Controversy-Ridden Zoom App From Its Offices

Following the uproar over privacy concerns surrounding the Zoom app across the world, Centre has banned the use of the controversial app in its offices or for any official work and issued instructions for individual users. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs released an advisory on April 12, distributed to journalists on April 16, saying the video-conferencing platform is “not safe” and asked to refer to the advisory of CERT-IN on the same dated Feb 06 and March 30, 2020.

Many privacy advocates were alarmed after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted a picture of him chairing a virtual meeting with the CDS, Service Chiefs, Secretaries, and DPSUs over the Zoom app on April 1. 

Today, via video conferencing, had a review meeting with the CDS, Service Chiefs, Secretaries, and DPSUs to discuss the preparedness and ongoing efforts towards tackling COVID-19 menace.

The Armed Forces and MoD are fully prepared and geared up to face any situation. pic.twitter.com/82yCh6Hs71

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) April 1, 2020

One of the most downloaded apps dominating Apple and Google store in recent times first raised eyebrows when an internet phenomenon called “Zoombombing” went viral where pranksters joined Zoom calls and played shock or explicit videos in the middle of a meeting or a class.

Earlier this week, private details of around half a million Zoom users were compromised and sold on the dark web for a penny and even free.

The California based tech company also faced suspicion over alleged China links and its claims to offer “end to end encryption” as experts pointed out that the app was instead using transport encryption(less secure).