Minimizing Zoom Disruptions in Online Workshops

Since there has been an increase in Zoom disruptions during Online Workshops, the team has been researching how we can help to protect facilitators and attendees. Enabling security features in Zoom is a good way to help minimize those disruptions.

Below are the recommended settings for maximum security, which you can find in Zoom’s admin settings. If you are a Training Team Faculty member and using the shared Zoom account, these recommended settings are enabled by default for meetings created on that account.

  • Waiting Room: On
  • Meeting Passcode: On
  • Chat Etiquette Tool: On (Note: requires you to create a policy, e.g., a list of prohibited words. There are two policies/lists on the shared account, but more can be added.)
  • Allow participants to join before host: Off
  • Mute all participants when they join a meeting: On
  • Screen sharing: One participant can share at a time
  • Annotation: If on, Only the user who is sharing can annotate
  • Whiteboard (Classic): Off
  • Remote control: Off
  • Gesture Recognition: Off
  • Allow users to change their name when joining a meeting: Off
  • Allow participants to rename themselves: Off
  • Show participant profile cards in a meeting: Off
  • Mute all participants when they join a meeting: On
  • Hide participant profile pictures in a meeting: On
  • Focus Mode: On

These tips have also been added to the Handbook page titled “Hosting an Online Workshop”.

If you have any additional tips, please share in the comments. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!