It’s also worth noting that like Zoom and Facebook Messenger which Rooms is built on, Rooms is not end-to-end encrypted. However, Facebook will be able to share public information from your social media account too.”
“Zoom can only share limited information such as name and email address. “Marketeers like to advertise privacy in the form of blocking and reporting people, but the real privacy issue lies in sharing data with third parties which Facebook admit they will still do with their partners,” ESET cybersecurity specialist Jake Moore says.Īt the same time, Moore points out, Facebook's sharing platform is far greater than Zoom. It’s all about how Facebook is marketing the service–privacy is defined in a way that isn’t strictly accurate. MORE FROM FORBES Zoom's A Lifeline During COVID-19: This Is Why It's Also A Privacy Risk By Kate O'Flahertyįacebook claims audio and video from Rooms won’t be used to inform ads and says it doesn’t show ads in Rooms. In addition, Facebook says it doesn’t sell any of your information to “anyone,” and claims it “never will.” If you don’t have a Facebook account, Facebook says it receives some data such as your device and browser type, your product usage information, and technical information. The main purpose of this data is to provide the service and improve the product experience.” It also states: “As with other parts of Facebook, we collect data from Rooms regardless of whether you joined through one of our apps or without logging into an account.
In addition, Facebook says: “Regardless of whether you use Rooms through your Facebook account or join as a guest, we don’t watch or listen to your audio or video calls.”īut then it says: “Across our services we work with outside vendors that help us do things like reviewing and addressing the issues reported by users and may share information with these partners like the name of the room, and who’s in it, in order to do this work.” So Facebook defines privacy as the ability to block and report people, as well as lock Rooms. Meanwhile, Rooms are not searchable by name on Facebook. In a clear swipe at Zoom, which has come under recent scrutiny after incidents of “ Zoom bombing,” Facebook Rooms can be locked to stop anyone from joining during the call, and the Room creator can remove unwanted participants. Egan outlines how the person who creates the room controls the settings for who can join, how easy a room is to find and whether to enable or share a link. You don’t have to have a Facebook account to join a Room, which is certainly a good thing–although the person who creates the Room does need to be on Facebook.