Class Action Lawsuit Says Zoom Users’ Privacy Not Protected

A Zoom privacy lawsuit has been filed by advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, arguing that the company failed to live up to its promises about security.

According to Consumer Watchdog, Zoom has repeatedly advertised that consumer information is secured via end-to-end encryption – a high-quality security standard that allows only the sender and intended recipient to access a communication.

Unfortunately, despite countless users flooding to Zoom due to its competitive advertisements, Zoom has allegedly failed to deliver on its promises. As a result, sensitive information – including private and protected medical information – may have been left vulnerable.

“As the number of reported data breaches and privacy incidents continues to soar, consumers are making data security a crucial consideration when choosing which companies to do business with and which products to buy,” Consumer Watchdog argues in the Zoom privacy lawsuit.

“Unfortunately, Zoom’s claims that communications on its platform were end-to-end encrypted were false. Zoom only used the phrase ‘end-to-end encryption’ as a marketing device to lull consumers and businesses into a false sense of security.”

The Zoom privacy lawsuit argues that, instead of securing communications with end-to-end encryption, Zoom “has always been capable of intercepting and accessing any and all of the data that users transmit on its platform — the very opposite of end-to-end encryption.”

Consumer Watchdog notes Zoom users have no reason to believe their information isn’t secure due to Zoom’s representations of cybersecurity.

However, this could not be further from the truth.

In fact, the Zoom privacy lawsuit notes Zoom employs more than 700 Chinese workers in “research and development” and contends that sensitive, unsecured information from American users may have been unlawfully shared with the Chinese government.

In addition to allegedly compromising user privacy, Zoom’s practices have unjustly enriched the company. Due to its competitive claims about end-to-end encryption, Zoom has allegedly been able to attract millions of users during the global pandemic – leading to the company being valued at more than $70 billion.

According to the advocacy group’s recent Zoom privacy lawsuit, Zoom’s false advertisements about end-to-end encryption are not only unfair but also unlawful.

The group claims that Zoom has violated the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act with its misrepresentations. Allegedly, these violations are punishable by up to $1,500 in statutory damages per violations – damages which Consumer Watchdog aims to collect.

Consumer Watchdog also seeks relief from the court which would require Zoom to stop misrepresenting its privacy and security policies. The advocacy group says consumers may not have chosen to use Zoom if they were aware their information wasn’t as secure as promised.

“Families around the country are increasingly relying on communication platforms to connect with the world in new ways, whether it’s educating our children, working with colleagues or staying in touch with loved ones,” Consumer Watchdog’s counsel said in a statement.

“It is paramount that companies tell their customers the truth about who can listen to their private communications.”

This is not the first time Zoom has faced privacy lawsuits. In April, consumers filed a class action lawsuit against the video conference claiming that users’ personal information was unlawfully shared with Facebook without their consent.

The plaintiffs content the Zoom privacy issue is particularly relevant considering the high number of people using Zoom for work, healthcare or other meetings.

Plaintiffs have also taken issue with Zoom’s alleged lack of privacy allowing hackers to access private meetings. One class action lawsuit contends that a Bible study meeting was unexpectedly interrupted by a hacker who displayed porn to the group. Although the meeting was shut down, the damage reportedly remains.

Similarly, a webinar held by the University of Southern California, Santa Barbara, was allegedly targeted by “Zoom-bombing,” in which a “known offender” accessed the meeting without authorization and showed disturbing child porn. As a result of the incident, the meeting attendees have reportedly been traumatized – leading two participants to seek worker’s compensation.

Another class action says a pole dancing and burlesque class taught through Zoom was viewed by unauthorized men – making the class participants feel unsafe.

Have you used Zoom during the coronavirus pandemic? Are you worried about your privacy? Share your story in the comment section below.

Consumer Watchdog is represented in-house by Harvey Rosenfield, Jerry Flanagan and Benjamin Powell, and Jay Edelson, Ari J. Scharg and Theo J. Benjamin of Edelson PC.

The Zoom Privacy Lawsuit is Consumer Watchdog v. Zoom Video Communications Inc., Case No. 2020 CA 003516, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

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