Remote Learning’s Hidden Security Risk
With online learning and homeschooling becoming more popular, the risks are also growing.
Keep On Teaching
Educators have become necessary in providing learners with online courses to keep their education up to date. Most educators are making use of free video conferencing applications to help in this online teaching process.
The problem with this is that the links sent to learners to join these online courses are public. This means that anyone who has the link can join the video session without even identifying themselves.
This may sound like an innocent event, but there are many cases where these video seminar sessions were interrupted.
The Security Risk
Anyone with the wrong motive can join and interrupt the session with all types of videos and comments. In one such case, a culprit interrupted an educational session with pornographic images after hijacking the video session.
There is no way the educator can tell who did it because no identification is needed to click on the link and join. Unfortunately, people out there have no respect for other people’s privacy, so you need to be prepared for the possibility of such a case.
Public Platforms
One of the free public platforms used is Zoom, which has straightforward ways to connect with learners. The problem is that these are very public options, and anyone with the link can then join the video conference.
Educators can use other platforms to connect with their learners, but they are also at risk of being interrupted.
The Solution
The best way to keep the risks at a minimum is to not publicly post the links where anyone can get hold of it.
It is recommended that these education video conferences be kept private rather than public to minimize the risks.
Learners should also be aware of the dangers of publicly sharing these links, to friends or other schools, because this can lead to bad experiences.
If anyone is experiencing these interruptions, they should go to this website to find out what to do about it. Additionally, you can visit the Zoom official website to find out how to make your video conferences more private and secure for educators and learners.
If anyone is interested in starting homeschooling, go to this website to learn how to do it in your area. Most people are turning to the K-12 online homeschooling system to get a proper education for their children.
There is a wide range of online learning systems for professional education for all people who need to be educated.
Conclusion
Educators need to note that they must initiate the privacy and security factor to keep themself and their learners safe. The best way to do that is with proper research and making use of security options and technologies.