As online learning platforms are becoming the norm for continuing education through the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts have started to ban one in particular, Zoom, due to security concerns. New York City Department of Education, which runs the largest school district in the country, states that teleconferencing for education should be conducted through Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts Meet, not Zoom.

From The Washington Post:

The FBI issued a warning to the public earlier this week about the “hijacking” of online classrooms and teleconferences after it received reports of disturbances by people shouting racist and threatening language and displaying hate messages. It said saboteurs were hacking into online meetings in a phenomenon now called “Zoombombing,” because Zoom has become the most popular teleconferencing choice for K-12 schools and colleges and universities during the pandemic.

Concerns about online security have been rising as most of the nation has moved to online education, with school buildings closed to try to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus that has stopped public life around the world. Schools have rushed to put together online lessons and programs, sometimes without strict security filters. There have been numerous reports of intruders disrupting classes and school meetings, from elementary school to higher education.

Other districts throughout the United States are following that step and disabling access for safety precautions.