Off-topic: Opinions on public Zoom meeting access info

[+jmazzy]

I know this isn't specifically TI-related, but in light of the recent threads for Zoom-based meetups, I thought I'd take a chance and reach out to you all for some feedback.  For simplicity, I made this a survey, but feel free to share any thoughts:

I work with a non-profit organization that, since March, has been scheduling its monthly public meetings via Zoom.

 

Obviously, Zoombombing of public meetings was a widespread problem back in March.  So our team made a habit of setting up meetings with a password and then waiting to share that password publicly until a few hours before the meeting.

 

Now that things are better with Zoom (e.g. improved client, better practices), my team is suggesting that we simply post all Zoom meeting info publicly.  They feel that, by holding back on the password as we are now, we risk loosing a part of our audience.

 

I'd like to recommend a best practice to my team based on what's working well for most folks these days.  Any feedback would be appreciated.

[+jedimatt42]

I was personally worried about that... but I assumed in this case, we'd either enjoy the laugh, or I'd learn quickly how to evict someone from the meeting.   

 

I chose to embed the password in the link. and error on the side of being inclusive. 

 

I also used the lobby feature as a gate... except that meant I had to notice people were in the lobby, and know how to recognize people to let in... 

 

I think public shouldn't be equated with anonymous. But I don't know what to do to combat that.

 

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At work some of our company meetings are technically open, no password, but the meeting ID is distributed securely.. so, it's just a terminable offense if someone shared it.. The thing that sets me off is co-workers don't have enough respect for each other to put their actual name or email in when they join...  

 

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I would think, that if a meeting is 'public' it is 'public',, and subject in zoom to the same disrespect that a physical meeting can experience in a public venue. For instance, when I held a TI gathering at a public library, the library required that it be posted on their website as a public event, and open to the public... 

[Tursi]

Interesting question. I don't know either. It wasn't an option so I didn't vote, but it's probably fair to be open until and unless it actually becomes a problem.

 

[+jmazzy]

Thank you all, both for the feedback and for taking the survey.  This assuaged my remaining concerns; going forward, I indicated to my team it's benign enough to make all meeting access info available publicly, and we'll see how it goes.

 

Given all the protective functionality available in Zoom (e.g. the Waiting Room, Mute Participants Upon Entry, the ability to Lock Meeting), I don't expect any problems with neerdowells that can't be easily/quickly resolved with a quick click.

 

[RXB]

When is next meeting and time?

[+Lee Stewart]

30 minutes ago, RXB said:

When is next meeting and time?

 

See Zoom-TI-99ers Pandemic 4A Club.

 

...lee