Zoom CEO: Free users will not have access to encryption to assist law enforcement investigations

During a conference call, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan mentioned that in order to comply with law enforcement's regulatory requirements regarding potential criminal activities, Zoom's end-to-end encryption feature will not be available for free users, while paid users will still have access to the encryption feature to protect their privacy.

Free Users Won't Have Access to Encryption Feature

According to a tweet by Bloomberg reporter Nico Grant,Zoom CEO Eric Yuan mentioned in a conference call that Zoom's end-to-end encryption service (currently in development) will only be available to enterprise-level customers to prevent malicious actors from using the feature for illegal activities:

"We want to work together with FBI and local law enforcement in case some people use Zoom for a bad purpose. We are not able to offer end-to-end encryption to free users because we want to be able to help them and provide the necessary information."

On the other hand, a Zoom spokesperson mentioned in an interview that Zoom does not actively monitor meeting content and will only share information with law enforcement in cases of criminal activities such as sexual offenses. Additionally, the spokesperson emphasized that Zoom's video conferences do not have backdoors, and no one can participate in a video or phone conference without being noticed.

Security and Privacy Issues with Zoom

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Zoom has become extremely popular. With many countries and cities under lockdown, almost all businesses have had to implement remote work and rely on the Zoom platform. On June 2nd, Zoom's stock price surged by 13%, surpassing $200 for the first time. While this period has been an opportunity for Zoom, it has not been without challenges.

In recent months, Zoom's security protocols have been under scrutiny. Zoom had previously "claimed" that all communications on the platform were end-to-end encrypted. However, in April this year, a report revealed that Zoom had the capability to access user data. Additionally, there were reports at the end of March about hackers exploiting the Zoom client to launch attacks and steal important data.

These issues have raised concerns about the platform's privacy and security. Some companies have even begun to boycott Zoom, with the most notable being SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, which banned its employees from using Zoom in April citing "significant privacy and security concerns."

Controversy Over Service Limitations

The news that Zoom will not provide end-to-end encryption for free users has sparked criticism once again. While it is understandable that Zoom is making this decision to prevent criminal activities, does it mean that paid users will not commit crimes? As noted by prominent journalist Adam L. Penenberg:

"Just because someone can afford to pay for Zoom means they won't commit crimes?"

Because people who can afford to pay for Zoom don’t commit crimes?

— Adam L. Penenberg (@Penenberg) June 3, 2020

However, a Zoom spokesperson clarified in an interview with The Independent that the company's strategy is to provide end-to-end encryption for "users who have gone through KYC" rather than "paid users." When asked if users can apply for KYC and use the feature without payment, the Zoom spokesperson did not provide a definitive answer.