Singapore has suspended the use of video-conferencing tool Zoom by teachers after “very serious incidents” in the first week of a coronavirus lockdown that has seen schools move to home-based learning.
One incident involved obscene images appearing on screens and strange men making lewd comments during the streaming of a geography lesson with teenage girls, media said.
Zoom Video Communications Inc has faced safety and privacy concerns over its conferencing app, use of which has surged in offices and schools worldwide after they shut to try and curb virus infections.
“These are very serious incidents,” Aaron Loh of the education ministry’s technology division said on Friday, without giving details.
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is currently investigating both breaches and will lodge a police report if warranted.
“As a precautionary measure, our teachers will suspend their use of Zoom until these security issues are ironed out.”
Loh said the ministry would further advise teachers on security protocols, such as requiring secure log-ins and not sharing the meeting link beyond the students in the class.
To address security concerns, Zoom has launched a 90-day plan to bolster privacy and security issues, and has also tapped former Facebook security chief Alex Stamos as an adviser.
The Singapore government has also been using the tool to host media conferences.
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