Digital platforms such as Google Meets or Zoom have been the alternative for meetings and meetings to continue taking place during the coronavirus pandemic. But a negative aspect of the ease of access provided by these virtual environments has exposed intolerance and prejudice in events that discuss topics sensitive to Human Rights, such as the struggles of movements black e Indian, and the Executive Directorate of Human Rights (DEDH) from Unicamp. Frequent cases of invasions and virtual attacks, recorded since the beginning of the pandemic, draw attention to the importance of measures that increase the security of these meetings and reduce this type of violation.
"The invasions occur on issues that are sensitive to Human Rights, which talk about minorities, social tensions, issues that politics have started to treat as a dispute between good and evil in recent years, and which are actually historical struggles. They are These are the biggest victims that involve our agendas", comments Josianne Cerasoli, coordinator of the Human Rights Observatory at Unicamp. According to the professor, there are three most frequently observed types of attacks: invasions that occur only to promote disorder and divert focus from the topic discussed, denial of exposed speech and silencing of participants to the crime of racism.
She notes that the fact that meetings are held virtually, in which people are physically distant, may be creating more space for these attacks that disrespect diversity and prevent everyone from expressing themselves fairly. "Respect for dissenting opinions is non-negotiable in democracy. I may very well disagree with everything you think, but it is my obligation to preserve your right to speak. This is also a Human Rights issue", highlights Josianne.
Systematic attacks are worrying, but it is possible to prevent
According to professors Sandro Rigo, general director of the Unicamp Computing Center (CCUEC), and Marco Antonio Garcia de Carvalho, coordinator of the Educational Technologies Management Group (GGTE), video conferencing platforms are designed to facilitate operation and access for different people. However, most of them did not foresee in their security resources the large increase in the number of users caused by the pandemic and the recurring problems of this increase. They remember that, in the case of Google Meets, users from outside the Unicamp domain need authorization to participate in video calls, which already sets up a security barrier. However, the platform is still simple to use, which can make it easier for people with bad intentions to act.
"The more inclusive a videoconferencing platform is, the greater the possibility of there being an invasion of this nature. As you don't need a login, a password, you don't need to be a Unicamp student, which you can access from your computer or cell phone, there is no need to install plugins or extensions, that is, the greater the ease for the user, the smaller the security locks will be", points out Marco Antonio.
To ensure greater security in virtual meetings, teachers note that it is necessary to differentiate between meetings restricted to a group or just invited guests and lectures, seminars or conversation circles, whose objective is precisely to be open to several people. In the first case, the main recommendation is to be careful with the dissemination of access links, which should not be made available on social networks or WhatsApp groups.
Sandro Rigo advises that organizers choose to publish the link by email, using the tools offered by the platforms. "The meeting organizer creates the meeting in his calendar and includes in the settings only the people who should receive the link by invitation. Then the link goes to each person's personal email. Of course, you cannot guarantee that one of these guests Don't disclose the link externally, but it's something different from this link being publicly available, on a Facebook page or something like that", he explains.
In the case of open virtual events, there are not many control tools, and the main way to prevent any type of attack is to keep an eye on what is happening throughout the meeting. "When there is concern about a possible invasion, which could cause some type of inconvenience, the person who ends up having to do the most work is the meeting organizer, who needs to be the most careful during the meeting", comments Sandro. He advises that one measure that can facilitate this work is to share the role of moderator of virtual meetings with other users. Thus, one person can be alert to any inappropriate behavior, deactivate microphones or even exclude people from the video call while others take care of the presentation or mediation of the debate.
Another tip is to always remember to name the meeting with a specific title, which links the event to its purpose. Marco Antonio explains that generic names can facilitate search and access for people who want to disrupt the progress of activities such as classes or seminars. "Unicamp has approximately five thousand undergraduate and postgraduate subjects per semester. If everyone goes to Google Meets and creates a subject called 'class', anyone at Unicamp who searches for a 'class' room will find it, and because he is from Unicamp, he will be able to enter", he explains. He also points out that it is important, whenever possible, to record meetings, because if an attack occurs, the action will be recorded and can facilitate the accountability of those involved.
New tools increase security
At the beginning of August, Google announced new tools for Meets and Classroom that should expand the possibilities of interacting with participants in virtual environments and, from a security point of view, will provide more moderation resources to meeting organizers. The latest news can be checked here.
Other safety guidelines are available on the bracket from Google Meets and also gathered in the link "useful tools" on the website of the General Coordination of the University (ToU).
Check out the guidelines for safe use of virtual environments:
1. Precautions to avoid room hijackings and unwanted and/or criminal invasions:
- do not make your video conference rooms public (preferably, ask for a password or prior approval from each visitor);
- avoid sharing the address (link) of the call on social networks; disclose the address in closed groups or individually;
- do not click on addresses (links) for meetings received from unknown sources;
- check platform settings to reduce permissions: for screen sharing (host only), control/authorization to enter the room,
speech and image control (host authorized to veto participation) and presence control (host authorized to remove participant.
2. Posture in case of invasion or hijacking of a meeting:
- clarify as soon as possible to everyone that this is an unexpected occurrence and announce that another link will be sent to the meeting;
- record the incident using the platform’s resources;
- close the meeting;
- create another invitation/link to resume the activity.
3. Suggestions for improving communication:
- organize the dynamics of the meeting in advance (preferably, only enable the speaker's microphone, to avoid interference from other sounds);
- pay attention to technical preparation: lighting (avoid positioning against the light) and camera height (eye height).
