Respond to Zoombombing

Zoombombing is when an uninvited participant within a Zoom meeting causes disruption by sharing inappropriate comments, audio, or visuals.

Suspend Participant Activities

If extreme situations, often the quickest way to respond is to suspend participant activities. This will immediately stop all participant video, audio, in-meeting chat, screen share, annotation, and profile images, and give you an opportunity to report and remove offenders.

To suspend participant activities:

1. Click Security in the meeting controls.
2. Click Suspend Participant Activities.
   
   

Specific Security Interventions

To learn how to recover from different types of Zoombombings, click the tabs below.

Audio Interruptions

Individuals

1. In the meeting controls, click Participants.
2. In the Participants window, locate the specific individual (e.g., Unknown Zoombomber) and click Mute.
   
   
   

Preventative

1. In the Participants window, click Mute All.
2. In the Mute all current and new participants window that appears, deselect Allow participants to unmute themselves.
3. Click Mute All.
   
   

Video Interruptions

Individuals

1. In the meeting controls, click Participants.
2. In the Participants window, locate the specific individual and click the Stop Video icon.
   
   

Preventative

Before your meeting, sign into your UCLA Zoom account Settings and enable Focus Mode to spotlight all speakers while hiding all profile photos and videos from other participants. (Only the Hosts and Co-Hosts will be able to see participant videos).

To use Focus Mode during your meeting:

1. In the meeting controls, click More (ellipses).
2. Click Start Focus Mode.
   
   
   
   
3. In the Start Focus Mode window, click Start.
   
   

At the top left corner of your Zoom meeting window, the Focus Mode icon indicates that Focus Mode is active.

4. To exit Focus Mode, click More (ellipses).
5. Click Stop Focus Mode.
   

Chat Interruptions

Preventative

To manage chat settings:

1. In the meeting controls, click More (ellipses).
2. Click Chat.

3. In the Meeting Chat window, click More (ellipses).
4. Under Participant Can Chat with:, select Host and co-hosts.
   
   

Screen Share Interruptions

Individuals

1. In the meeting controls, click Security.
2. Under Allow Participants to, deselect Share Screen.
   
   

Preventative

The default is to only allow the host to share. If a participant needs to share their screen, temporarily make them a co-host and then remove the privilege when they are done sharing.

Profile Photo Interruptions

Preventative

1. In the meeting controls, click Security.
2. Select Hide Profile Pictures. Profile photos will be replaced with the participant's name.
   
   

Annotation Interruptions

Individuals

If annotations are enabled during a screen share:

1. In the meeting controls, click Security.
   
   
   
   
2. Deselect Annotate on Shared Content.
   

Preventative

Before your next meeting, sign into your UCLA Zoom account:

1. Click Settings.
2. Enable Annotation.
3. Select Only the user who is sharing can annotate.
   
   

Remote Control Interruptions

Preventative

Before your next meeting, sign into your UCLA Zoom account and then:

1. Click Settings.
2. Disable Remote Control. Please note that unless there is a specific need for this feature, it should remain disabled for all meetings.

Related Articles

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• Manage Participants During a Meeting
• Schedule a Secure Zoom Meeting