Zoom’s Use of Facebook’s SDK in iOS Client (blog.zoom.us)

Article summary

Zoom removed the Facebook SDK from its iOS client after it was discovered that the SDK was sending data to Facebook when the app was opened. The removal was done to address concerns about user privacy. Zoom will still allow users to log in with Facebook, but this will now be done through a web browser. This change was made in response to a report by Motherboard that verified the data was being sent to Facebook.

Main themes

• user privacy
• data security
• Facebook SDK
• Zoom's response to privacy concerns
• trade-offs between user experience and privacy

What commenters say

• Some commenters are skeptical that Zoom's removal of the Facebook SDK is sufficient to protect user privacy, and argue that more needs to be done to ensure that user data is not being sent to third parties without their consent. Others believe that Zoom's actions demonstrate a lack of concern for user privacy, and that the company's claims to take privacy seriously are not credible. A few commenters argue that Zoom's use of the Facebook SDK was likely an honest mistake, and that many other apps are probably doing the same thing. Some commenters think that the removal of the Facebook SDK may have a negative impact on the user experience, and that Zoom's priorities have shifted from user experience to user privacy. A few commenters also pointed out that even with the Facebook SDK removed, there are still other ways that Facebook could potentially collect user data, such as through browser fingerprinting. Some argue that developers should be more careful when implementing third-party SDKs, and that companies should prioritize user privacy over convenience and user experience.
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