Article 1: The Rise of Distance Education during Covid-19 Pandemic and the Related Data Threats: A Study About Zoom

From Digital Culture & Society

The Rise of Distance Education during Covid-19 Pandemic and the Related Data Threats: A Study About Zoom

Çubukçu, C., & Aktürk, C. (2020). “The Rise of Distance Education during Covid-19 Pandemic and the Related Data Threats: A Study About Zoom." Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 127-143.

https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2154547.

Contents 1 Context 2 Overview 3 Strengths and Weaknesses 4 Assessment

[edit] Context

The COVID-19 pandemic forced students to switch from traditional learning styles to online educational platforms, specifically Zoom. This sudden shift increased the risk of data threats and privacy breaches for educators and students alike. Due to the rise of distance learning, all digital movements and trackable behavior initiated by students can be examined with big data analytics. This includes the amount of time spent, rate of engagement, and virtual classroom activity on a platform. As a means of exploring these phenomenons, this article details the security risks that were heightened by the pandemic and their tangible solutions. To effectively analyze these risks and decipher their solutions, the authors utilize a case study method to focus on Zoom as a platform. Here, they refer to Zoom in the context of a free platform that has access to sensitive consumer data. Zoom was selected for this case study because of its unanimous popularity, simple nature, and global reach of consumer data. The objective of this study is to examine the relevance and importance of Zoom as a platform in terms of privacy issues.

[edit] Overview

The article is organized into five distinct parts: Introduction, Methods, Case Study of Zoom, Solutions, and Conclusion. The first section thoroughly discusses learning management systems (LMS) in education and the function of learning analytics when it comes to accessing consumer data. It also addresses the question: Why is the platform Zoom the focus of this study? Aktürk and Çubukçu note that in one study, participants from different countries were able to join business and educational meetings without a Zoom account, making the platform more accessible and easy to use. Further, since it is very accessible and popular among varying generations, the platform has more access to consumer data. Moving on to Methods where the authors introduce new challenges educators and students face in terms of privacy. In this section, they establish the aim of the case-study: to effectively inform the public of the security and privacy risks when utilizing free distance learning platforms like Zoom. On the topic of the Case Study of Zoom, this section goes into depth about the importance of consumer privacy and security on these platforms. The authors pose the following question: “How will this data be stored, collected, used, and accessed?” According to the article, there were around 10 million active users on Zoom where over 500,000 accounts were illegally sold to third-party buyers on dark web forums. These accounts contain sensitive information like the location of educational facilities, names and addresses of educators and students, and account passwords. Evidently, this data is often being stored, collected, and accessed in a way that does not benefit the public good.There have also been instances of data leaks where Zoom will give other platforms access to consumer information. It is important to note that Zoom discloses in their privacy statement that they do not sell data but they are legally allowed to share consumer data for “business purposes.” These loopholes give way to more privacy and security breaches. In terms of the Solution category, the authors address the question: What can Zoom implement to make it a safer place for consumers and their data? The platform can start this by implementing disaster recovery plans and strong passwords policies to ensure that consumer information is effectively protected. They can also employ individuals who are knowledgeable in cybersecurity to access and fix vulnerabilities in their platform system to minimize data breaches. The conclusion ties the article together and establishes the need for educational facilities to take necessary precautions to protect consumer data when it comes to online platforms.

[edit] Strengths and Weaknesses

This article effectively details the security and privacy risks on online educational platforms like Zoom. The authors do a good job at providing real-world examples and connecting it back to their line of reasoning. They also provided various solutions on how Zoom could strengthen their relationship with consumers, specifically students and educators. These solutions were supported with examples from international platforms that have implemented similar strategies. Although the article provided sufficient reasoning and evidence, there are a few weaknesses. To produce more accurate results, the authors could have conducted a study in which they interview individuals who have experienced Zoom data breaches. Here, they could have determined what type of data is being shared and how it is being accessed. Further, the authors could have included more information about the way Zoom was utilized in non-Western educational settings to get a better idea of privacy and security issues worldwide.

[edit] Assessment

In conclusion, this article effectively informs the public of the security and privacy risks when utilizing free distance learning platforms. The authors utilize a case-study method to examine Zoom as a free platform where data is often collected, circulated, and accessed. They detail how Zoom is a prime subject because of its popularity and global access to consumer data. The article addresses the two main questions (1): How will this data be stored, collected, used, and accessed? and (2): What can Zoom implement to make it a safer place for consumers and their data?, by providing detailed evidence, real-world examples, and tangible solutions. Its strength is providing articulate and clear information about the privacy concerns, but falls short when including a non-Western evidence. Overall, the article is a valuable resource in understanding security and privacy issues in the educational sphere.

Vj23je 21:00, 28 November 2023 (EST)