Zoom Sued for Disclosing Personal Information

A user has sued Zoom Video Communications Inc., the online platform that many facilities have taken to using for the social distancing needed during the coronavirus outbreak. The user claims that the video-conferencing service is disclosing personal information illegally.  

The lawsuit was filed on Monday by Robert Cullen, seeing him accusing the company of collecting information when users install or open the Zoom application and sharing it, without proper notice, to third parties, including Facebook Inc., and potentially others. The suit claims that it is not explained to users that their personal information will be disclosed via the code contained within the app.

Zoom’s “wholly inadequate program design and security measures have resulted, and will continue to result, in unauthorized disclosure of its users’ personal information,” says the complaint.

“Robert Cullen of Sacramento is seeking to represent other users and asked for a declaration that Zoom violated California’s Consumer Privacy Act. He’s seeking damages under the act and punitive damages,” reports Bloomberg.

Zoom has thus far looked like it would be one of the rare winners from the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s shares have more than doubled now that more and more people are choosing the online platform as they work from home. Many Georgian companies, schools and colleges are using Zoom during the state of Emergency that was announced in the country on March 21.

Source: Bloomberg

Image source: Newsweek

By Nini Dakhundaridze