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Watchdog Sues Zoom Over False Claims on Privacy Protection
A Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group has recently sued Zoom Video Communications over allegedly false privacy protection claims.
According to the lawsuit, Zoom made “false and deceptive representations to consumers about its data security practices.”
“Zoom began advertising and touting its use of a strong security feature called ‘end-to-end encryption’ to protect communications on its platform, meaning that the only people who can access the communicated data are the sender and the intended recipient,” the lawsuit explained.
The lawsuit then added that consumers and businesses in the healthcare sector have relief on Zoom’s “false end-to-end encryption representations.”
“Unfortunately, Zoom’s claims that communications on its platform were end-to-end encrypted were false. Zoom only used the phrase ‘end-to-end encryption’ as a marketing device to lull consumers and businesses into a false sense of security,” the lawsuit said.
Zoom encryption claims false, watchdog alleges in lawsuithttps://t.co/aEOwf1Qhfp
— Laura Jeppson Robinette (@ljrobinette) August 12, 2020
Fox Business reported that Consumer Watchdog filed the civil suit on behalf of the D.C. public. They filed it in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Monday.
Consumer Watchdog staff attorney Benjamin Powell said in a Tuesday press release that the consequences of “Zoom’s false promises of end-to-end encryption are far-reaching and incredibly concerning.”
He said Zoom assured clients in the medical field that the platform can securely “transmit confidential medical information between physician and client.” He then reiterated that “That just isn’t the case.”
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Zoom released a statement on Fox Business. The spokesperson said the company takes “privacy and security extremely seriously.”
“[We] are committed to continuous enhancements, including the timely beta testing and implementation of end-to-end encryption,” the statement also said.
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