have to use zoom for my class

Linux@lemmy.ml – 68 points – 10 months ago

What would be the better option for privacy. Logging into my windows partition and using zoom just for class logging right back out or install zoom on my linux partition?

I would keep it simple and use the zoom web client and restrict as much as possible.

However, if you must have an app, they support linux. Then you can sandbox it as you would other apps on your machine.

Going into another partition might be a bit safer, but I'm not sure the privacy vs convinience tradeoff works.

There is a flatpak zoom app. I guess it can be sandboxes somehow. It would most likely not pose any privacy threat outside of zoom.

But keep in mind that zoom got into it's privacy policy, that they can record and use for ai anything you do and say during a meeting (if you didn't allow access to the desktop during the meeting, zoom shouldn't be able to record it, so most likely won't matter for that, only what you send through their servers).

Is there a reason why you didn't list "using the web client in firefox and install none of their crap on my machine" among the options you consider ?

I did not know zoom had a web client

IIRC they usually try to push you towards installing their ~~spyware~~ desktop client and the option to join the meeting from your browser is made as less visible as possible.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/zoom-redirector/

They could also run Firefox as a nonpersistent app in docker, if that makes them feel any better.

@joel_feila
You can use the 'Firefox Multi-Account Containers' extension for Firefox and create a container for Zoom.

That is no longer necessary with Dynamic State Partitioning. Every top level domain is automatically given its own container, essentially. The extension is really only useful for logging into sites on two accounts simultaneously.

Is this for real? So I shouldn't be worried about using certain websites that they'll track me around?

Sort of. There are still tricks that can be used like redirecting between sites to "sync" their states. Container tabs can still be useful because if they do this then the sites will all be "fresh" to that container and not shared between websites. But for the most part yes, different sites have limited ability to track you other than things like fingerprinting and IP address.

Is there any good explanation of this somewhere?

First, I would recommend posting this in a privacy community instead, as linux isn’t just for privacy. I don’t like to give comments correcting people without proposing a solution, so I would say just running it in your browser with uBlock Origin and maybe a random user agent switcher if zoom lets you. Also clear your cookies when you are done. If you really want full privacy then just use tor browser for it.

Edit: Also use a burner account that you create while using tor.

If you really want full privacy then just use tor browser for it.

Can you actually have a fast enough connection for Zoom through Tor?

If you use YOUR login to participate in Zoom via Tor, then Zoom already knows who you are, regardless of HOW you access it

Okay, but I asked about speed.

I answered that using Tor defeats the purpose.
Depending one nodes you use one day you may have great connection, the other it may be really crappy

Might be able to find a flatpak and use flatseal to restrict it as much as possible

I would just use a private Firefox window to join via the web client. What kind of privacy intrusion are you most worried about?

just the general microsoft is touch my computer.

Well then Linux obviously

The most important kind of privacy intrusion 😹

You can run it on Linux through Firejail.

oh what that

Firejail let's you configure what access applications have to your system and sandboxes them.

Just use the browser client. They try to hide it but you can click thought the small text to launch it. The browser sandbox is one of the most reliably privacy options that we have.

If you put zoom in a flatpak and tighten its permissions, it won't be able to touch the rest of your system

Is this actually true withoit using wayland?

If you're using X, it would be able to read your inputs for other applications and such, but if you don't do anything sensitive while it's running it still won't be able to do anything.

Wont it be able to take screenshots of my desktop and such?

It could, so while you're using it you should make sure you don't have anything sensitive onscreen.

If your desktop supports Wayland at all, you could switch to it while using Zoom, even if other things don't work as well, then switch back when you aren't.