Taiwan bans government use of Zoom
What you need to know
- The Taiwanese government has banned the use of Zoom.
- Neither government agencies nor specific organizations will be allowed to use the software.
- The move is part of a wider ban on video conferencing software, hardware, and services that pose security risks.
The Taiwanese government has banned government agencies and specific organizations from using Zoom, citing security risks.
As reported by DigiTimes:
Alternatives suggested include Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meet, and Cisco WebEx. Zoom has been battered by claims of security and privacy flaws following its explosion in popularity in recent weeks. As the BBC notes, there is also a particularly political slant on this move. It was previously revealed that Zoom was unwittingly routing some traffic through China, even if none of the participants of a call were based in the country. Taiwan and China are of course locked in a political standoff, whereby China views Taiwan as a "breakaway rebel province, destined to be reunited with the mainland." Whilst security concerns over Zoom range from over-inflated claims about encryption, Zoom-bombing, macOS installation shenanigans and the ease with which Zoom meetings can be scoured to find meeting IDs and other call information, it is likely that the Taiwanese government's decision is most heavily rooted in concerns around China.
Whilst Zoom has proven a popular tool for many, it isn't without flaws. Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives around!
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Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design. Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple. Follow him on Twitter @stephenwarwick9