UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State students, faculty and staff are reminded that to help prevent “Zoom-bombing,” a type of online harassment where an individual hijacks a video conference to wreak havoc, it is strongly recommended that meeting links not be posted publicly on social media platforms and other online sites. Instead, the University has shared recommended guidelines on how to properly advertise and promote virtual events to keep them secure.
Additional tips and settings to help prevent unwanted actions by Zoom participants are available online at zoom.psu.edu/meetsecure.
Penn State IT Learning and Development has Zoom office hours and trainings available to assist faculty and instructors. Tech TAs also are available to support online classes and events via Zoom, and Tech Tutors are offering one-on-one consultations to provide additional technical support for all faculty, staff and students.
Any incidents of Zoom-bombing should be reported to University Police immediately, and offenders could face charges for unlawful use of a computer, harassment and disorderly conduct. Penn State Counseling and Psychological Services is available to help support students who may be impacted by Zoom-bombings at virtual meetings or events.
More information on how to help avoid Zoom-bombing is available in the following Knowledge Base articles:
- Zoom: Change Meeting Settings for Hosts
- Zoom: Change Webinar Settings for Hosts
- Zoom: Prevent and Manage Meeting Disruptions (aka Zoom-Bombing)
- Zoom: Preventing Unwanted Meeting Attendees
Those with questions can contact the IT Service Desk, call 814-865-HELP, or send an email to zoom@psu.edu for assistance. Visit zoom.psu.edu for the latest Zoom updates, news, resources, support and training information.