1 PROTECT YOUR MEETINGS

The simplest way to prevent unwanted attendees is not to share the link in the first place. Don’t send out the link with a general invitation – send it only to those who have confirmed that they will be attending. This negates the need for a separate password.

2 USE A RANDOMLY-GENERATED ID

Never use generic session names as meeting ID links. And never use the same ID link twice. We always create a new link for each session. This also avoids confusion between sessions when reviewing feedback, for example.

3 AUTHENTICATE USERS

When creating an event, you can choose to only allow authorised users to participate. An authorised user has to be signed-in in advance, so if we’re running a session for you we’ll need all the participants’ email addresses in advance. But this has potential issues itself so, again, you’re best off just restricting access to the randomly-generated ID link in the first place.

4 JOIN BEFORE HOST

Don’t allow others to join a meeting before the host/trainer has arrived. There’s a default for this but it’s best to use the waiting room function: this is a way to screen participants before they are allowed to enter a meeting. It gives the host greater control over session security. It also helps the participants – some of them log in far earlier than they need. They see a reassuring welcome screen with the name of the session so they know they’re in the right place and that the session will start soon.

5 LOCK DOWN YOUR MEETING

Once a session has begun, you can choose to ‘lock’ your meeting once every expected participant has arrived. This prevents others from joining even if meeting links have been leaked. But not every unexpected participant is necessarily unauthorised and some participants might swap places with colleagues at short notice without our knowing, so we generally advise against locking meetings.

6 RESTRICT SCREEN SHARING

To avoid unwanted material being shared inadvertently, we ensure that only the host, our trainer, can share their screen with the rest of the group – no-one else can (or only by permission of the host, if necessary).

7 REMOVE NUISANCE ATTENDEES

If you find that someone is disrupting a meeting, you can exclude them. None of our trainers has had to do this yet, but there’s always a first time!

8 CHECK FOR UPDATES

We’re constantly checking updates to Zoom functionality, particularly around security, and can assure you that we are using the most up-to-date security features. Please make sure you also update your Zoom widget to the latest version to avoid compatibility issues.

Any questions? If you’ve still got any concerns, just give us a call to talk them through. We’re here to help!