From 710fda55191e5d20a8e244f3e897721b53e8f2b3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ravi Dwivedi Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:14:39 +0100 Subject: Added a line- We urge teachers to help their students in [resisting against Zoom] or other proprietary software for online teaching. Because that link provides some good arguments. --- md/article/better-than-zoom.md | 5 ++++- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/md/article/better-than-zoom.md b/md/article/better-than-zoom.md index 5914f88..7d0c26c 100644 --- a/md/article/better-than-zoom.md +++ b/md/article/better-than-zoom.md @@ -177,13 +177,16 @@ to the above mentioned conferences. Educational institutes have a responsibility towards their students and teachers to respect their freedom and privacy. Students should not be forced to give away their freedom and privacy to attend lectures, webinars to build their -career. +career. + +We urge teachers to help their students in [resisting against Zoom][resist] or other proprietary software for online teaching. If you are from an educational institute, and need help in switching to free software services which respect your freedom, we will be glad to help you. Please do not [hesitate to contact us in this regard][fsfi-contact]. +[resist]: https://www.gnu.org/education/teachers-help-students-resist-zoom.html [fsfi-contact]: https://fsf.org.in/contact ## Ways in which students can resist -- cgit v1.2.3 From 95a8a53c4c3d8c48ae489ca8283476d9e0f4dbfe Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ravi Dwivedi Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2021 11:04:45 +0100 Subject: 1. Changed the opening paragraph in the section "Problems with proprietary videoconferencing systems" as discussed in the mailing list. 2. Added a few more references such as, on Microsoft Teams and verge. 3. Added features of BigBlueButton for education. 4. Mention of Chiguru server moved to education section 5. Removed the line "Or else ask teachers to post the pertinent visual materials so that students can get them before the class, and they can record the audio themselves" because Zoom does not support joining audio calls via ordinary phone from India. --- md/article/better-than-zoom.md | 65 +++++++++++++++++++++--------------------- 1 file changed, 33 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-) diff --git a/md/article/better-than-zoom.md b/md/article/better-than-zoom.md index 7d0c26c..6541e67 100644 --- a/md/article/better-than-zoom.md +++ b/md/article/better-than-zoom.md @@ -28,22 +28,9 @@ over 30K exclusively using free software][matrix-fosdem]. ## Problems with proprietary videoconferencing systems -In the pandemic time, our communications are being held via nonfree -video conferencing software like Zoom, Google Meet etc.[1](#fr) -Hosting video conferencing via nonfree software gives away control of -our communications. - -Video communications on Zoom are done via Zoom's central server which -mistreats users in various ways such as [snooping on users][ia-vice] -and [shutting down accounts of activists][guardian]. Zoom also -[censored an event with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled][ti] and -other events criticizing its censorship. A Zoom executive [reported on -users to China][wp], and snooped on meetings. If they discussed the -Tien An Men Square massacre, he terminated the meetings and the -participants' accounts, on the orders of China. What made it possible -is that Zoom's design lets staff snoop on every conversation as it -passes through the server. Further, [Zoom has done a lousy job in -protecting your privacy][cl]. +Video conferencing systems like Zoom and Google Meet require users to use proprietary client programs. This is a fundamental injustice to the user because any nonfree software does not give users freedom and users do not control that program. + +Further, video communications on the nonfree software Zoom are done via Zoom's central server. The combination of nonfree software client and the central server gives Zoom power over the users which it uses to [snoop][ia-vice] [on its users][wp], [censoring the dissidents][ti] and [preventing certain groups from connecting to its service][guardian]. [ia-vice]: https://web.archive.org/web/20210104084812/https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7e599/zoom-ios-app-sends-data-to-facebook-even-if-you-dont-have-a-facebook-account [guardian]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jun/11/zoom-shuts-account-of-us-based-rights-group-after-tiananmen-anniversary-meeting @@ -55,10 +42,12 @@ Surveillance and censorship are the consequences of the power Zoom has over its users because of its nonfree software and centralized server. It is Zoom's unjust power over their users that we oppose. This power bring users at the mercy of the entity (Zoom in -this case) providing the service. The same is true for other nonfree -conferencing systems like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, -[Skype][skype], etc. +this case) providing the service. The same is true for [other nonfree +conferencing systems][verge] like Google Meet, [Microsoft Teams][microsoft], +[Skype][skype], etc. +[verge]: https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/1/21244058/google-meet-microsoft-teams-webex-personal-data-collection-privacy-policy-concerns +[microsoft]: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/04/27/your-whole-companys-microsoft-teams-data-couldve-been-stolen-with-an-evil-gif/#5859599339fc [skype]: https://stallman.org/skype.html Nonfree programs should never be trusted for privacy even if they say @@ -68,7 +57,7 @@ the encryption. A company that sold encryption systems to 100 countries was controlled by US and German intelligence, [and the equipment spied on the governments that used it][guardian-crypto-spy] which means that you should never trust a proprietary encryption -program to protect your privacy . Therefore, we suggest you to reject +program to protect your privacy. Therefore, we suggest you to reject any nonfree/proprietary software. [guardian-crypto-spy]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/11/crypto-ag-cia-bnd-germany-intelligence-report @@ -125,15 +114,13 @@ used to stream classes live. BigBlueButton instances generally have more capacity than Jitsi instances and instances like [meet.nixnet.services][bbb-nn] can scale up to 270+. Mixed approach of live-streaming and using separate text -chat for questions can increase the limits. BigBlueButton supports +chat for questions can increase the number of participants. BigBlueButton supports white board, presentations, live-streaming on YouTube. We suggest you to avoid live-stream on YouTube. BigBlueButton doesn't need any app on mobiles to work, people can simply join via any web browser. -[Chiguru also runs a BigBlueButton server][bbb-cg] especially for -online classes and includes paid plans according to your needs. + [bbb-nn]: https://meet.nixnet.services -[bbb-cg]: https://classmeet.chiguru.tech ## Conferences conducted using only free software @@ -172,7 +159,24 @@ Educational institutes all over the world are conducting lectures/webinars via nonfree software. We suggest educational institutes to adopt free software alternatives like Jitsi, BigBlueButton and avoid nonfree software for lectures and -conferences. Conferences can be held using only free software similar +conferences. + +The educational use cases for BigBlueButton are + +- Online tutoring (one-to-one) + +- Flipped classrooms (recording content ahead of your session) + +- Group collaboration (many-to-many) + +- Online classes (one-to-many) + +Instructors can engage remote students with polling, emojis, multi-user whiteboard, and breakout rooms. +Presenters can record and playback content for later sharing with others. + +[Chiguru also runs a BigBlueButton server][bbb-cg] especially for +online classes and includes paid plans according to your needs. +Conferences can be held using only free software similar to the above mentioned conferences. Educational institutes have a responsibility towards their students and teachers to respect their freedom and privacy. Students should not be forced to give away their @@ -186,6 +190,7 @@ to free software services which respect your freedom, we will be glad to help you. Please do not [hesitate to contact us in this regard][fsfi-contact]. +[bbb-cg]: https://classmeet.chiguru.tech [resist]: https://www.gnu.org/education/teachers-help-students-resist-zoom.html [fsfi-contact]: https://fsf.org.in/contact @@ -197,11 +202,8 @@ letters to teachers or their administration to create awareness about the problems that proprietary software poses. To raise awareness, they can share this article. They can ask their teachers to make recordings from the Zoom calls and post the recordings where they can -download them later. We suggest free software like upload.disroot.org -or PeerTube for sharing video lectures. Or else ask teachers to post -the pertinent visual materials so that students can get them before -the class, and they can record the audio themselves. That way they can -attend the classes without running any nonfree program. +download them later. We suggest free software like https://upload.disroot.org/ +or PeerTube for sharing video lectures. Students can also set up kludges to avoid running nonfree video chat programs. For instance, the teacher (or one student) could point a @@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ kludge for them to speak and send their voice to the Zoom call. [Find a Jitsi service that suits your needs][chatons-j] and create a room with a random name or a name that you can remember. Share the -meeting link with attendees. Joining a Jitsi meeting is as easy as +meeting link with attendees. Joining a Jitsi meeting is as easy as clicking a link and loading it in your browser(Recent versions of Chromium and Firefox) or Android or iOS Jitsi Meet apps and does not require creating any accounts. Jitsi meetings can also be password @@ -266,7 +268,6 @@ glad to help you. [fr-4]: https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/12/21288995/zoom-blocking-feature-chinese-government-censorship [fr-5]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/27/shirking-from-home-staff-feel-the-heat-as-bosses-ramp-up-remote-surveillance [fr-6]: https://theprint.in/india/education/delhi-govt-starts-online-lessons-for-class-12-but-only-a-handful-of-students-are-logging-in/397880 - - - - α. The article uses the term 'FOSS' which -- cgit v1.2.3