Zoom has become one of the most popular video conferencing tools. People use it for work meetings, school classes, and even catching up with friends. However, behind its convenience, there can also be privacy and security concerns that users must understand.
In this article, we’ll explore how Zoom handles your personal data, the risks tied to its features, and what you can do to stay safe. From data-sharing practices to security flaws, you’ll get a clear picture of the challenges and solutions for using Zoom responsibly.
When you sign up for Zoom, you provide some personal information. This includes basic details like your name, email address, and phone number. If you use Zoom on your smartphone, it might also collect your device’s information, such as your location or device type. Additionally, Zoom may collect data about how you use the platform, such as which features you use and how often you use them.
Zoom uses your personal data mainly to improve its services and provide better features. For example, it can customize your experience by remembering your preferences or showing you relevant updates. Zoom also uses your data to manage your account and keep you informed about your meetings. In some cases, it may use data for advertising purposes to promote Zoom products.
Zoom may share your personal data with third parties, such as business partners or service providers, to help run its platform more smoothly. For example, Zoom may share your data with cloud storage providers or marketing partners. While Zoom claims it doesn’t sell your data, it still allows third-party companies to access certain details for things like analytics or targeted ads.
Over the years, Zoom has faced several security flaws and vulnerabilities. In 2020, the platform came under fire for allowing “Zoom-bombing,” where uninvited guests could join meetings and disrupt them. While Zoom quickly introduced measures like password protection and waiting rooms to combat this issue, it highlighted deeper weaknesses in its platform.
An uninvited person joins and disrupts a Zoom meeting, showing the security risk called Zoom bombing.
Zoom has also faced issues with its software’s handling of data, including vulnerabilities in the Zoom client itself, which could potentially allow hackers to gain control of a user’s computer. Additionally, there were concerns about the platform’s reliance on third-party libraries, which introduced potential backdoors for attackers. Even though Zoom has made improvements over time, these past security flaws remind users that the platform still has vulnerabilities that can be exploited if not carefully managed.
One of the biggest privacy concerns with Zoom is the lack of true end-to-end encryption (E2EE). While Zoom does encrypt data during transmission, this encryption doesn’t fully protect your meeting content from being accessed by Zoom itself or third parties. With end-to-end encryption, only the people in the meeting would be able to decrypt the conversation, making it nearly impossible for outsiders—such as hackers or even Zoom—to listen in. Without this level of security, there’s a risk that your meeting could be intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties.
Zoom did introduce an optional E2EE feature in 2020, but it’s not enabled by default. Users must manually turn it on, and even then, it limits certain features like cloud recording and live transcription. This lack of a universal default E2EE makes Zoom a less secure option for those looking to keep their meetings completely private.
The screenshot shows Zoom's end-to-end encryption feature highlighted within the security settings menu, demonstrating how users can enable this option for enhanced meeting privacy.
Zoom meeting IDs, which are used to identify and join meetings, can be easily guessed or generated by hackers using simple tools. This vulnerability has allowed intruders to break into meetings and disrupt them. Even though Zoom added password protections to reduce this risk, it remains an ongoing concern.
In the past, there have been cases where Zoom video calls, both personal and business-related, were made public and accessible on the open web. This happened due to misconfigurations in Zoom's settings, leaving sensitive calls exposed to anyone with the right link. While Zoom took steps to improve its security settings, such incidents highlight the platform's potential flaws.
Zoom’s cloud recording feature can sometimes expose meeting recordings to unintended viewers. If the meeting host doesn’t configure the settings properly, videos may be shared with people outside the call, compromising privacy.
Zoom has also faced criticism for sharing user data with Facebook. When users log in to Zoom using Facebook credentials, Zoom can share personal data with Facebook for tracking purposes. This raised concerns about how Zoom handles user information and whether it is fully transparent with its data-sharing practices.
In response to public criticism, Zoom has made several changes to improve security and privacy. These include improving meeting encryption, adding two-factor authentication, and making it easier to control who can join meetings.
Zoom has released multiple updates over the years to fix vulnerabilities. The company has patched flaws in its software, improved encryption standards, and made it harder for hackers to gain access to meetings. However, new security issues continue to arise, which shows that Zoom must constantly stay vigilant in addressing these concerns.
To ensure your Zoom meetings stay secure, use strong passwords and enable the waiting room feature to screen participants. It’s also wise to disable screen sharing for everyone except the host to prevent unauthorized content sharing.
Adjusting Zoom's Security settings to enable the Waiting Room feature, allowing hosts to control who enters the meeting
Always keep your Zoom software up to date, as new security patches can protect you from vulnerabilities. Consider using Zoom’s end-to-end encryption for extra protection, and avoid sharing meeting links publicly. For sensitive meetings, enable additional features like two-factor authentication and meeting passwords.
If Zoom doesn’t meet your security needs, several alternatives offer stronger privacy features. Platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and Jitsi offer better encryption options, and some are open-source, which may appeal to those concerned about data privacy.
This table can compare Zoom with some of its secure alternatives based on different privacy features.
The shield icon at the top of the meeting window represents the type of encryption in a meeting. To confirm what kind of encryption a meeting is using, click the shield icon to display meeting information, including the encryption type.
This image shows the shield icon in a Zoom meeting displaying the type of encryption used to secure the call.
The following table details shows what each of the encryption shield icons represents.
| Icon | Meeting encryption type | Encryption type |
|---|---|---|
 |
End-to-end encryption (including standard and post-quantum end-to-end encryption) | End-to-end encrypted or Post-quantum end-to-end encrypted |
 |
Enhanced encryption (not end-to-end encrypted) | Enhanced |
 |
Partial encryption (not end-to-end encrypted; one or more endpoints in the meeting do not support encryption) | Enhanced (with notation for the number of exceptions) |
Zoom’s convenience comes with several privacy and security risks. From data-mining features to vulnerabilities in meeting security, it’s essential to be aware of these issues. Zoom has taken steps to address many of these concerns, but users must also take responsibility by following best practices. For those seeking more secure alternatives, platforms like Microsoft Teams or Jitsi may provide better options for privacy-conscious users.
For a comprehensive understanding of Zoom's practices and how they manage your data, explore their detailed Privacy Policy here.
