Advices and warnings to hosts

Please review the following information when hosting a Zoom meeting

Signing out

Zoom does not automatically sign out the host when you close the web page. That means if someone else uses your computer to go to Zoom.us they will automatically be in your account. It may be an idea for the host to physically sign out of the website after each meeting.

A warning

There have been warnings on the internet of people 'bombing' Zoom meetings. If they can find out the code for a meeting they can join in and take part inappropriately or share their screens and generally interfere with a meeting. If you commonly use the same meeting code each time this might happen to you.

As a host you can 'mute' individuals (which could also be useful of they have a lot of background noise that is interfering with the meeting). You can also remove someone from a meeting. Another option is to set a password for people to join the meeting and change the password each time.

This is likely to be a rare event but you should be prepared!

Publishing a Zoom link

For the reasons mentioned above, it is important to keep the link for the Zoom meeting confidential and to use a password. If you are planning a Zoom meeting or webinar then the link for it can be put on a website page but for security reasons it is best that:

• the Zoom link has a password
• the details of the link are not shown in the text - i.e. that the link just says "here" or "Zoom link",
• the page is restricted to Friends only and is not 'public', and
• the link is removed once the Zoom is finished.

If the Zoom is recorded, the page can subsequently have a link to the recording if you wish.

Checking your settings

It is advisable for you to check the settings on your account for hosting a meeting. To do so, sign in to your account and go to Settings (on the left).                                                   

Under “Meetings”:

• Note the option of ‘Join before host’. Normally this would be on so that people who are early can chat to one another or can at least see that the meeting is happening. However, you can turn it off if you wish – those joining early will get a message ‘Waiting for the host to start the meeting’.
• Note the option of ‘require a password’. You would only want to use a password if you are using a common meeting ID but want to restrict a particular meeting. Normally a password would not be needed.
• ‘Mute participants on entry’ may be appropriate for MfW type meetings where you don’t want chatter beforehand.
• ‘Chat’ (and similar). Check these in case you need to alter them. This is the ability to send text messages in Zoom while the meeting is in progress.
• Note the option for ‘Allow host to put attendee on hold’.
• Note the option of 'breakout rooms' - this allows the host to split the meeting into small groups for a short period. This can be used for Friends to be able to chat to one another, or in the case of a topic which is better handled by small group discussions and then reporting back to the main meeting.

Under “Recording”

• Note these options

Under “Telephone”

• Note the option to hide a participant’s telephone number.