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Why are parts of the German government banning use of Zoom?

Answer: Because of security concerns.

A cellphone with the Zoom logo on the screen.
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Given the recent discoveries of significant security flaws in Zoom’s platform, parts of the German government including the Foreign Ministry have made the decision to ban the use of the platform for official communications. Since the organization has contact with foreign entities who may still be using Zoom, the new policy allows employees to use the platform via personal devices when necessary.

This is not the first case of Zoom’s use being curtailed or banned due to security concerns. Techradar reports that the electronic surveillance agency in Canada has stated that the platform is not approved for communications that must be secure. In the U.S., SpaceX has prohibited its officials from using Zoom, and some schools have banned its use and switched to Microsoft Teams.

The flaws discovered in Zoom’s platform include a lack of end-to-end encryption, public access to records of calls and meetings on the Internet, and easy access for hackers and uninvited attendees who have behaved maliciously toward legitimate participants.