Zoom, the video and audio teleconferencing service that has surged in popularity in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, is now offering end-to-end encrypted conference calls to all of its free users.

The free version of Zoom will have the same level of encryption as the paid version, according to a blog post yesterday (June 17) by Zoom CEO Eric Yuan. Encryption will be added as part of the July beta version and will be presented either as a per-meeting option or as an administrator-level setting on a corporate account.

End-to-end encryption will not be enabled by default; Yuan noted that doing so would create problems for Zoom users who access the service over traditional phone lines and for certain meeting room systems. Therefore, it is up to the conference call organizer to choose to use the security feature.

To use end-to-end encryption, users must confirm their accounts via text message, and some legacy hardware, such as phone lines, cannot be used.

Previously, all that was needed to sign up for Zoom was an email address. This means that many users who rushed to create accounts when the worldwide coronavirus lockdown was implemented earlier this year will need to update their details to make it work.

However, some users may be a bit reluctant to do this; Zoom was found to lack a privacy policy earlier this year, and rumors that it can track what you are opening on your device at the same time you are making calls and became the target of criticism.

GoogleMeet is perhaps Zoom's biggest competitor at present, offering advantages such as Gmail integration, but no encrypted version; Zoom offers a significant advantage in the eyes of users concerned about discussing important information over the Internet. ...]