Requierement for unmute consent in relation to client version; legal issues

API and Webhooks
1

From Zoom 5.0.3 (Client, Windows) unmute functionality changed. Subsequently, there where several other updates adressing this issue (hindered usability due manual consent…).

My Question: From when (Date) the feature of requiering consent to unmute was implemented in all clients (and web interface)? This question is not exactly API-related, but as Zoom offers no other way to adress this serious issue i would like to get necesseray informations by this way.

I am no law expert but only student - and i´ve only some knowledge about German/EU Data security law. However, in my opinion not requesting consent for unmute is a quite serious legal issue for zoom. Especially assessed under EU-GDPR Legislation. I am using Zoom since April and was NOT aware that any Host can unmute at any time (if Host unmuted before). Even if host did unmute before this would be a legal violation, as many new users (like me) will have no idea that host can also unmute. Even more if all users are unmuted when joining. I think every user must have positive knowledge about this fact before using zoom. Only then he/she can decide and there is no privacy violation.

This feature and possible privacy violations caused by it cant be undone, but to come along better with it i want to know during which period of time/how long this could have been happen.

I appreciate your help, please excuse if i adressed the wrong forum for my question.

2

one important aspect regarding unmute consent: There were several api/software changes regarding to the unmute buttons. Example: In Later versions, Host sees “As for unmute”, clicks this thinking the participant will be asked - however the participant uses an older version and pherhaps will be unmuted automatically.

Did you consider this problem in the affected updates? If this was the case, Host did nothing wrong as he/she tought zoom will ask for consent. However, Zoom would have commited a serious legal violation.

In my opinion, version 5.0.3 is a critcial update that should have to be installetd automatically on all clients. In no way I can understand why you did not made this an automatic update.

4

Hi @moming,

Thank you for reaching out about this.

As this is not developer related, I will kindly ask that you raise this with our Legal/Trust & Safety team at trust@zoom.us. You can also submit a ticket to our Support Team here which they can escalate to the necessary team as well.

Thank you,
Will

5

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.