The virtual video conference meeting service provider Zoom Video Communications that shot to fame during the novel ocornavirus pandemic as millions hooked on to its services during the lockdowns and work from home orders all across the world, is facing political hurdles in the many countries now including the United States and China. \
It has been reported that the company had prepared itself for facing political issues even before the company came under the scanner and criticisms of US lawmakers earlier his week about its close ties with China. In addition to inducting a former White House official to its board, the California, US-based company had also recently hired a number of lobbyists which included a former Trump campaign official.
Accounts of three US and Hong Kong activists on the platform were suspended by the company earlier this month at the request of China because hose account holders were planning to commemorate the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown where hundreds, or possibly thousands of students and activities demanding more democracy in China were killed in 1989 in a crackdown by the Chinese army. And the company was then asked on Thursday by three US lawmakers to provide an explanation of how it collects data and the relationship that the company has with the Chinese government.
"To be clear, their accounts have been reinstated, and going forward, we will have a new process for handling similar situations," Zoom said Thursday.
Since January 1st this year, users have downloaded the mobile app of Zoom in China about 5.4 million times from Apple's China store and according to research firm SensorTower, that number is an 11 fold increase to the number fo downloads in the same period a year ago.
Complaints about "zoombombing", wherein people would barge into ongoing meetings and inject hate speech and racist slurs into class meetings and other gatherings, had to contended with Zoom earlier this spring.
David Urban of the American Continental Group, who was head of the successful Pennsylvania campaign for the then US president candidate Donald Trump and is alos on the Trump 2020 Advisory Committee was hired by Zoom in May. The company also inducted in its board Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a former national security adviser of President Trump. Lobbying firm Mehlman Castagnetti, Rosen and Thomas was hired by the company in April. A company spokesman said that the Cohen Group was also hired by it.
There were no comments available from ACG, Cohen and Mehlman Castagnetti.
“We appreciate the outreach we have received from various elected officials and look forward to engaging with them,” Zoom said when asked about the letters from lawmakers, Zoom said:
(Source:www.usnews.com)
It has been reported that the company had prepared itself for facing political issues even before the company came under the scanner and criticisms of US lawmakers earlier his week about its close ties with China. In addition to inducting a former White House official to its board, the California, US-based company had also recently hired a number of lobbyists which included a former Trump campaign official.
Accounts of three US and Hong Kong activists on the platform were suspended by the company earlier this month at the request of China because hose account holders were planning to commemorate the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown where hundreds, or possibly thousands of students and activities demanding more democracy in China were killed in 1989 in a crackdown by the Chinese army. And the company was then asked on Thursday by three US lawmakers to provide an explanation of how it collects data and the relationship that the company has with the Chinese government.
"To be clear, their accounts have been reinstated, and going forward, we will have a new process for handling similar situations," Zoom said Thursday.
Since January 1st this year, users have downloaded the mobile app of Zoom in China about 5.4 million times from Apple's China store and according to research firm SensorTower, that number is an 11 fold increase to the number fo downloads in the same period a year ago.
Complaints about "zoombombing", wherein people would barge into ongoing meetings and inject hate speech and racist slurs into class meetings and other gatherings, had to contended with Zoom earlier this spring.
David Urban of the American Continental Group, who was head of the successful Pennsylvania campaign for the then US president candidate Donald Trump and is alos on the Trump 2020 Advisory Committee was hired by Zoom in May. The company also inducted in its board Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a former national security adviser of President Trump. Lobbying firm Mehlman Castagnetti, Rosen and Thomas was hired by the company in April. A company spokesman said that the Cohen Group was also hired by it.
There were no comments available from ACG, Cohen and Mehlman Castagnetti.
“We appreciate the outreach we have received from various elected officials and look forward to engaging with them,” Zoom said when asked about the letters from lawmakers, Zoom said:
(Source:www.usnews.com)
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