With so many people using video conferencing tools - especially Zoom - in their new-normal working from home lockdown environment, there's a rise in anxiety and stress when it comes to using a tool like this as your primary method of real-time communication across the work/life divide. It's leading to burnout says Angela Lashbrook writing in OneZero last week: When we’re already forced to conduct our work life via the same means, it’s perfectly reasonable to become overwhelmed when … [Read more...] about FIR Zoom Chat 4: Zoom burnout
Living in Lockdown
On March 23, 2020, the UK went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and the consequent emergence of the COVID-19 infection. Since then, it's been a time of staying home for large numbers of the population, regaled daily by government spokespeople, advertising and social media messages to "Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives." It's been a time of an emerging 'new normal' that began with panic buying of some household basics especially toilet roll and hand gel (sanitizer); and, … [Read more...] about Living in Lockdown
FIR ZoomChat 3: Zoombombed!
The third weekly FIR Zoom Chat hosted by Shel and Neville on April 9 got off to a promising start and continued with great discussion with a handful of FIR listeners on preparing now for communicating return-to-work when coronavirus lockdowns are lifted or relaxed. It lasted 21 minutes or so until we were hijacked by a coordinated zoombomb attack featuring many simultaneous zoombombers that ended our discussion. The clue to what was coming, unbeknownst to us, is the unknown fella who joined … [Read more...] about FIR ZoomChat 3: Zoombombed!
SDF 34: “If broadband goes down, we’re all screwed”
In the midst of coronavirus lockdowns just about everywhere, I suppose it's natural for some people to wonder if the Internet can hold up and not collapse under the strain of millions of people suddenly working at home, schooling at home and playing at home, all during the so-called working day and beyond, for an extended period of continuous months. As someone who works for an organisation that's all about the resilience of the Internet, I also suppose it's inevitable that I'd be the one to … [Read more...] about SDF 34: “If broadband goes down, we’re all screwed”
FIR ZoomChat 2: Zoom and Privacy
The second weekly FIR Zoom Chat hosted by Shel and Neville includes a robust discussion with a group of FIR listeners of criticism leveled at the increasingly popular videoconferencing tool, Zoom, and the response from the company’s CEO. Links: A Message to Our Users from Zoom founder and CEO, Eric Yuan, April 1.The Zoom Privacy Backlash Is Only Getting Started - Wired, April 1.Everybody seems to be using Zoom. But its security flaws could leave users at risk. - Washington Post, April … [Read more...] about FIR ZoomChat 2: Zoom and Privacy