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With the growing popularity of remote work and online learning, secure video conferencing has become essential for businesses and individuals alike. Zoom, once the go-to platform, has faced scrutiny for security vulnerabilities. This article explores safer alternatives that offer robust features and reliable performance.
Google Meet:
Google Meet is one of the most popular video conferencing applications currently used by both individuals and companies. It offers a secure way to connect with employees, hold video conferences, and give presentations for free. It’s worth noting that Google Meet was initially a paid service exclusive to G-Suite customers, but the company decided to make it available for free. Google Meet is the best secure alternative for holding video conferences with up to 250 participants per session. It allows you to share meeting links with anyone, even if they are not from your organization or company.
Google is trying to make Meet the most competitive rival to Zoom. To this end, it recently added a grid view feature that displays pictures of all meeting participants. You can also add a custom background if you’re uncomfortable with your home environment or if it’s not professional-looking. Additionally, accessing Google Meet meetings directly from Gmail is now possible. Google is expected to provide more updates in the coming months, solidifying its position as a secure and reliable alternative to Zoom.
Facebook Messenger Rooms:
Messenger Rooms has successfully competed with Zoom. This comes after Facebook announced the ability to create free video chat rooms for up to 50 people for an unlimited time. This is an excellent feature because Zoom only allows for a 40-minute session and a maximum of 100 participants. Best of all, Facebook has made it possible for people without Facebook accounts to join chat rooms via a link in their browser.
There are many features you can take advantage of while your video conferences take place, such as changing the general appearance of chat rooms and using augmented reality filters. The only downside to Messenger chat rooms is that they are not encrypted. However, Facebook assures us that it does not eavesdrop on any meetings.
Microsoft Teams:
You might be in luck if you’re interested in using the Microsoft Teams service right now. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Microsoft is offering a fully-featured free version for 6 months. While the free service is limited to 6 months and comes with fewer features after that, you may still find it useful despite the restrictions. However, the paid version offers everything you could want and more, including video conferencing with up to 300 participants in a single session.
Discord:
The Discord app enjoys widespread popularity, especially among gamers. However, it also functions as a versatile tool for video conferencing, offering an alternative to Zoom for friends and colleagues. Discord prioritizes security, encrypting both conversations and video conferences. To host these conferences, simply create a dedicated server, which allows you to create multiple rooms simultaneously. Enjoy seamless video chat experiences within your chosen rooms.
Fortunately, Discord has decided to increase the maximum number of participants in meetings to 50 after it was only 10. The app is available on all operating systems, from Windows and Mac to Android, iOS, Linux, and even through the web browser.
As you have read, many applications can be used as alternatives to Zoom. However, the best choice among them depends on the reason you need a conferencing application. Whether it’s for holding meetings with your company members or for communicating with friends or family members, choose one of the applications in this article to keep your meetings and conversations confidential.