Zoom update allows personal meeting IDs to be disabled

Zoom has grown significantly during the coronavirus pandemic around the world. Large numbers of users have turned to Zoom and similar services to conduct business and go to school. One of the challenges that Zoom has had is keeping users safe from harassment from so-called Zoom-bombing. Zoom-bombing occurs when someone joins a meeting who isn't supposed to be there and disrupts the meeting for the actual attendees.

Zoom says that it recently gave users more control over the use of personal meeting IDs (PMIs) within their organization. The latest release allows Zoom account owners and administrators to disable the use of a PMI for scheduling or starting an instant meeting. The PMI is always accessible using the same ID or meeting link, allowing anyone to join unless the meeting is properly secured.

Disabling the use of PMIs reduces the risk of unauthorized users gaining access to the meeting and doesn't leave the security of the PMI up to individual users. Zoom says the option to disable PMIs can be locked at the account or group level. Zoom warns that when PMIs are turned off, existing PMIs and personal links will become invalid and can't be used to host a meeting.

If a user tries to host a meeting using the PMI, they will get a message stating that the "PMI is disabled" when accessing those meetings. All previously scheduled and recurring meetings that use a PMI will require an update. Zoom recommends that users go into the Zoom web portal, navigate to Meetings, and delete any Upcoming Meetings that use a PMI. Users can then create new meetings using their preferred scheduler and send out new invitations. The full list of FAQs for the change can be seen here. In other recent Zoom news, Microsoft called Zoom out for misleading with its claim of 300 million daily "users."