Coronavirus: Zoom under increased scrutiny as popularity soars

04yKDzQ2bmiLzaeVQmobvoy-1.fit_scale.size

The videoconferencing app Zoom has come under fresh high-level scrutiny as its popularity soars during the coronavirus pandemic.

Zoom is now being used by millions of people for work and leisure, as lockdowns are imposed in many countries.

But its data security and privacy measures have been questioned.

The letter from the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James asked Zoom whether it had reviewed its security measures since its popularity surged. It also pointed out that in the past the app had been slow to address issues.

In response to a request from the BBC for comment, a company spokesperson said: "Zoom takes its users' privacy, security, and trust extremely seriously.

"During the Covid-19 pandemic, we are working around-the-clock to ensure that hospitals, universities, schools, and other businesses across the world can stay connected and operational. We appreciate the New York Attorney General's engagement on these issues and are happy to provide her with the requested information," it added.

Zoom has also been criticised for its "attendee tracking" feature, which, when enabled, lets the host of the Zoom call check if participants are clicking away from the main Zoom window during a call.

More recently, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week tweeted a picture of himself chairing a Cabinet meeting using Zoom, leading to questions about how secure it was.