Zoom Popularity, Issues During Covid-19: SMC 1(10)

Social Media Communication in the News: 
Real-Time Discussion Starters

Zoom Adds Waiting Room and Password Requirements

The soaring popularity of Zoom video conferencing software during the Covid-19 "stay at home" efforts forced app updates. Previous options to have a waiting room and password are now required, after "Zoom bombers" entered open rooms and disrupted meetings. In some cases, participants were attacked with pornographic content. 

The Citizen Lab issued a report suggesting that the app also suffered from weak encryption, and the company hired less expensive programmers located in China.

At the same time, Wired readers were encouraged to learn how to become Zoom power users by learning its large number of available settings.

https://citizenlab.ca/2020/04/move-fast-roll-your-own-crypto-a-quick-look-at-the-confidentiality-of-zoom-meetings/

https://www.wired.com/story/tips-for-using-zoom/

Question: What legal and ethical issues exist for schools and businesses moving classrooms and offices to Zoom spaces?

Quibi Tries to Monitize Brief Video
Hollywood stars and executives are backing a new video app. Quibi is offering a 90-day free trial, but the service will start charging at $4.99 per month. The Atlantic reports that, "Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman say they have an app for that, or at least an argument for it. They’re the founders of the new 'quick bites' streaming service, backed by Hollywood’s biggest studio players and A-list content creators with the goal of delivering filmed entertainment in installments of 10 minutes or less."

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/04/how-quibi-plans-to-hook-audiences/609466/

Question: Why would people pay for Quibi video? How can it compete with YouTube and other established channels?

ICYMI: Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Google and Microsoft Fight Coronavirus Misinformation

Social media sites joined to battle misinformation about the spread of Covid-19. Business Insider  reports that a joint statement on Facebook pledged to combat "fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on our platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world" (para. 3).

"In response to the coronavirus outbreak, Facebook is supporting the global public health community’s work to keep people safe and informed. Since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a public health emergency in January, we’ve taken steps to make sure everyone has access to accurate information, stop misinformation and harmful content, and support global health experts, local governments, businesses and communities," the statement said.

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-google-youtube-microsoft-reddit-twitter-fight-coronavirus-covid19-misinformation-2020-3

https://about.fb.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus/#joint-statement

Question: Are the social media platforms doing enough to fight misinformation and disinformation? What else could they be doing?

SMC news is curated for Social Media Communication: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics, third edition (2021).