The use of the Zoom video conferencing application has exploded during the pandemic. More than 200 million users participate daily in a video call using this software tool, 20 times more than was usual at the end of last year.
For companies, educational centers and government organizations it is a tempting proposal because it allows video conferences of up to 100 participants completely free and is easy to install and use. Now that many companies have been forced to improvise remote workflows, it has become a very practical, almost imperative solution.
But the barrage of new users is uncovering some security issues in the app. Some, like the absence of strong encryption, are serious for a certain type of user, such as government entities. Others, like the "zoombombing" phenomenon (participants who sneak into conferences uninvited) are simply annoying.
This has meant that more and more companies and organizations are considering using alternatives. It is not easy, as Julio César Fernández , developer and programming instructor, who has been using Zoom for two years at his academy, explains. "Zoom allows you to share the screen of the iPhone or iPad with cable or by AirPlay Mirroring, annotate on the screen, it has a whiteboard, I send files by chat, record conferences in the cloud ... and it has bomb-proof stability," he explains.
Using Zoom is generally safe for most people by following some basic tips, such as password protecting conferences, as long as peer-to-peer encryption is not a requirement but if you are looking for an alternative for your classes or work it may be It is interesting to try these alternatives, although it is important to know that not all of them offer the same functionalities.
Microsoft Teams
This Microsoft collaboration tool is free for individual users and educational institutions during the pandemic, and allows virtual meetings of up to 250 participants to be organized. It is closely linked to the productivity tools of the company (Office). Businesses can test the tool and all Office 365 applications for six months at no cost. It is somewhat more complicated to manage and organize than Zoom but very complete.
Google Hangouts and Meet
Google's Hangouts tool is free and allows video conferences of up to 25 people. Meet is the business equivalent, available within the Gsuite service (for a fee) and that allows up to 250 simultaneous people in a video conference, with options to share screens or make presentations. A Gmail account is required in the first case, but it is very likely that most of your contacts already have one.
Facetime
If all participants have an updated iPhone, iPad or Mac, the FaceTime application (installed by default on all company products) can be a valid and safe alternative. It allows video conferences of up to 32 people simultaneously and has filters and masks. It can be a good alternative for video calls between friends and consumes less data than other alternatives but, as we have explained before, it is only available on Apple devices.
Jitsi Meet
This solution has gained many users in recent days due to Zoom's privacy issues. It is a free, open source and encrypted alternative that also allows you to install your own server for calls (a useful function for companies concerned about security). It is not as comprehensive as Zoom but allows up to 75 people per chat and to share desktops or collaborate on documents.
Bluejeans
A secure video conferencing solution that does not require installing any additional software. It is very focused on business environments, but it is powerful and allows conferences of up to 75 people. It is not free, although it offers a trial period and a 20% discount during the pandemic.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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