When the pandemic struck, many of our union clients quickly pivoted to Union Calling to provide virtual meetings for events previously held in-person, including large conventions. Subsequently web-based platforms such as Zoom, Webex, Skype, and Hangouts jumped in to offer a variety of self-managed video events. These new “in your face” virtual events may arguably be cost-effective for individuals and businesses – but what are the true costs for labour unions? Studies have increasingly revealed the largely hidden and psychological shortcomings of this new technology and the discovery of the ease of “spying” and the selling of participant information.

Now may be the time for a sober second look at the risks of using such platforms. It’s hard to put aside how these companies were not completely honest about being fully end-to-end encrypted and their failures to disclose massive security flaws (some of which remain to this day!).