Only a few months ago, video conferences seemed like a practical but not too popular channel for business communication. Fast forward to June 2020 and you’ll notice that video conferencing has become a quintessential business tool that almost everybody’s using to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
A report shows that American business people hold approximately 11 million meetings a day, which equals 55 million meetings per week and 220 million meetings per year. Another study reveals that nearly 90% of companies use multiple video conferencing platforms and regularly flip-flop between two or three different solutions.
With so much online work going on these days, it’s easy to make a simple but serious blunder and jeopardize your privacy. In this post, we will explain how to avoid it using 10 privacy tactics for your business. Let’s check them out!
- Make sure that only invited participants can join the conference
Although it seems strange, it’s not unusual to see strangers attending a video conference. It’s not just awkward but also threatens to compromise the privacy of a virtual meeting, so you need to make sure that only invited participants can join the conference.
Almost every video conferencing platform comes with a passcode system that prevents intruders from joining the session. Besides that, you should always lock the conference as soon as you see that everybody’s there already.
- Do not open unusual or suspicious meeting invitations
We already mentioned that video conferencing is booming these days, but the whole situation attracted a lot of hackers and scammers who might try to exploit your lack of knowledge or attention. In such circumstances, it is crucial not to open any unusual or suspicious online meeting invitations. Make sure to click trustworthy links exclusively and accept invitations from company officials only.
- Turn off the sound and camera if not needed otherwise
- Check if the conference is being recorded
Video conferencing platforms have a wide range of features and one of them is content recording. It enables participants to record the entire meeting and play it all over again. If you want to protect the company and protect the confidentiality of the virtual meeting, you need to check if the conference is being recorded. If it is being recorded, you will probably see a red-circle button turned on.
- Beware of screen sharing
Screen sharing is a common video conferencing feature and it serves a very practical purpose. However, it might reveal classified information if you use it carelessly. We suggest closing all files, documents, and open tabs apart from those you want to present to other participants of the meeting. That way, you will ensure maximum privacy for your business.
- Do not send classified links or files via chat
Live chat augments video conferences because it enables participants to ask questions and send comments in real-time. They can also use the feature to share files and exchange business-related links or documents.
But there is one rule you need to keep in mind here and that is to avoid sending classified information, links, or files via chat. It would be a big mistake to send information this way since everyone can copy it and send it to non-participants.
- Keep your video conferencing tool updated
Now that hackers are launching more malicious attacks toward video meetings, major platforms are constantly trying to upgrade security features and protect users from fraudulent activities. You should keep it in mind and install upgrades as soon as you see they are available. Many business people consider it to be irrelevant, but updates actually have the power to make or break their privacy hopes.
- Check terms of service
If confidentiality is a really big issue for your company, we strongly recommend you to carefully read the terms of service of a given video conferencing platform. You should be aware of their privacy features and learn what they will keep in their data libraries. Are they going to share relevant information with third-party providers? It’s a quintessential question that you must answer well in advance.
- Send the list of rules to every participant
If you are in charge of administering the conference, don’t forget to send the list of rules to every participant beforehand. We are talking about the tips discussed above since each member of the team should learn how to prepare for the coming video conference. It won’t only protect the business but also make the virtual meeting simpler, safer, and more productive.
- Avoid video conferences if the risk is too high
Finally, we recommend entrepreneurs not to use video conferencing platforms if they operate extremely sensitive business information. It’s much better to be safe than sorry, so you should try and find the alternative that guarantees maximum privacy.
The Bottom Line
Video conferencing gives you a lot of substantial benefits in the age of COVID-19 and beyond, but you have to be careful not to compromise your own reputation, the privacy of your employees, and the business as a whole. In this article, we discussed 10 privacy tips that can protect your business during video conferences. Keep them in mind and use them in your online work – it will keep everyone safe and help your company flourish in the long run.
About the Author
Isabell Gaylord is one of the professional essay writers at several college paper writing services. Isabell also contributes to a couple of dissertation writing services in London, where she writes about marketing, business, and finance. She is a passionate traveler and a yoga practitioner.
