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The Zoom video conferencing service surprisingly became the best-known online network for the crown crisis. Facebook is now exploding to catch up.
Facebook doesn’t want to leave the rapid growth of video chats in the Corona crisis to rising star Zoom and responds with its own offer. With the “Messenger Rooms” videoconferences they can be initially configured for around 20 participants, then they will be up to 50. The use should be similar to that of Zoom: the organizer sends a web link that other participants can use to join the conference.
This simple process helped Zoom get 10 million to 300 million users a day in the crown crisis. However, it also caused problems such as “zoom bombardment,” in which strangers interfere with video conferencing. Zoom later took countermeasures with additional access restrictions, Facebook wants to take precautions from the start of the rooms. The organizer could remove a participant from the video conference at any time and also prevent invitation links from being shared, the online network explained.
The connection to the Facebook server is encrypted, but the chats are not protected with the so-called end-to-end encryption, in which they are only accessible to participants, but not to the platform itself. to ensure full encryption is implemented. With Facebook’s fully encrypted WhatsApp service, the number of participants in video chats will now be expanded to up to eight people.
With Zoom, which so far has also abstained from full encryption, up to 100 users can participate in a video conference, and up to 1000 in a video transmission. The duration in the free version is limited to 40 minutes: Facebook messaging rooms should not have a time limit.
Zoom’s unexpected growth in the Corona crisis also forced other players to act. Google improved its video chat service Meets, among other things, with a view where you can see all participants at the same time. Telecommunications giant Verizon took over zoom rival Bluejeans, which Disney and Facebook, among others, used for their video conferencing. Zoom’s share closed after Facebook’s announcement on Friday with less than six percent.
The online network has been working on the new video chat offering for about a year, Facebook manager Stephane Taine said. At the same time, the “New York Times” wrote that after Zoom’s promotion, founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg ordered more speed for all video projects in the house.
Facebook is known for buying or copying emerging competitors, as was the case with Instagram and WhatsApp. The latter happened with the so-called Snapchat stories feature. Facebook incorporated the ability to share photos and videos with friends for a day in all its applications, thus missing the growth of Snapchat.
Facebook guarantees that Rooms’ video chat data is not used for personalized advertising. At the same time, users should be shown chat rooms of their Facebook friends that they may be interested in.
Facebook also announced a video chat feature for its flirting platform “in the coming months” on Friday. Dating on Facebook was also due to start in Europe in February, but the date was postponed due to privacy concerns.
Source: dpa
