New Google Meet update blocks intruders -- say goodbye to videobombing
Google Meet puts its foot on videobombers' necks
Google Meet is updating its videoconferencing platform to thwart invaders who want to intrude on your private virtual meetings, Google announced (via Engadget).
Zoom went through its own PR disaster with digital infiltrators, also known as "Zoom bombers." Google, learning from Zoom's privacy mistakes, is taking a big step to enhance Meet with stricter security features so that "Google bombers" don't become a thing.
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Google Meet's new update for G Suite Education members
Thanks to Google's new Meet update, anonymous individuals -- defined as users who are not signed into a Google account -- can no longer join virtual meetings launched by G Suite for Education members. This new feature, according to Google, will deter participants from sharing links to anonymous users who may cause disorder on video-conference calls.
"Anonymous users can cause disruption to learning by making noise and sharing content, and become a distraction for the meeting organizer when they try to join meetings," the Google blog said. Consequently, the search-engine giant has now blocked anonymous users from infiltrating Meet calls by default.
Users who do not want this default feature will have to contact G Suite support and request an exception.
The new Google Meet update began rolling out on July 13, and will trickle down to all members gradually. Google promised that all G Suite Education users should receive the new security feature by July 15.
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Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!