Similar to the decisions made by companies such as Google and SpaceX, the US Senate has announced that it will no longer be allowing its members to use Zoom's video conferencing platform. The Senate stated that concerns over the platform's data security had led to its decision.
According to sources inside the Senate, members reportedly received a notice from the Senate sergeant at arms, issuing a warning to all concerned involving the use of the video conferencing platform. The note further instructed each senator's office to immediately find an alternative platform that can be used for remote work and meetings.
The notice comes as most of the US is placed under strict lockdown and stay-at-home orders amid the continued spread of the coronavirus. Over the past months, the US has become the heaviest hit by the pandemic with more than 460,000 confirmed cases and more than 16,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Zoom is currently facing a major backlash from users and regulators over its insufficient security practices. The scandal, which involved reports of hacks and data theft, has sent the company's stocks plummeting. The decline in its stocks managed to wipe-out previous gains made by the company during the sudden surge of new users during the initial spread of the coronavirus.
The company was forced to make a public apology following the revelation of the lapses in its security and encryption technology. The company also admitted to routing some calls through China over the past couple of months, which is had to do to cope with the surge in traffic through its networks.
Last month, the FBI revealed that it had received reports of teleconferences being hacked by people sharing explicit and pornographic content. The practice has since been called "Zoombombing" by users. Zoom has promised that it will immediately be addressing the security issues.
Several US senators had reportedly urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the reports and to determine whether Zoom had broken any consumer protection laws.
On Wednesday, the company announced that it has hired former Facebook security chief, Alex Stamos, as an outside consultant to help in its efforts to rectify the security and privacy issues. Zoom added that it is working around the clock to ensure that its users can stay connected throughout the crisis, while at the same time protecting their privacy and security.
Apart from the US Senate, Google, and SpaceX, other institutions that have discouraged the use of the video conferencing app include the government of Taiwan, Germany, and several schools in the US.
