Zoom to enable end-to-end encryption to users, paid or not

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Video-conferencing app Zoom announced that it will enable end-to-end encryption to all users, paid or not. The company received a backlash from several users after it had announced that the encryption protocol would be limited to paid users only.

Zoom stated that end-to-end encryption would be available for all users in July as an early beta phase. Users will automatically obtain the encryption service unless they themselves have disabled it manually or the account administrator disables it.

Free/basic users will need to go through a one-time identity verification process that “will prompt the user for additional pieces of information.” Zoom has not detailed the process but gives an example of verifying a phone number via a text message.

Paid users will not be required to go through the process. The Zoom encryption feature will go live as soon as it is available.

There is no fixed timeline on when will the 256-bit AES Encryption feature be rolled out for all.

The company recently said that it would not enable end-to-end encryption for free users over the concern that it might be used for unlawful activities and strong encryption would make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to access data of these free calls.