An online synagogue service has become a victim of a racist "Zoombombing", in which racist accounts posted anti-Semitic abuse to congregants.
A synagogue service was being held via video chat app Zoom when it was subjected to Zoombombing by racist accounts that posted anti-Semitic comments on the app's group chat.
Zoombombing refers to the activity of uninvited guests entering Zoom meetings. It has been on the rise as more people actively use the app to stay connected during the coronavirus lockdowns.
A BBC employee who attended the meeting at a synagogue in London explained: "There were about 205 of us logged on - including lots of families with little kids - and suddenly the numbers went up to 243."
She said the group chat on the right-hand side of the screen was instantly filled up with "vile abuse".
There appeared to be only one uninvited guest on the screen, indicating that the other accounts in the Zoombombing may have been generated automatically by that person.
"The rabbi didn't realize what was going on until one of the congregants texted him. By then lots of people had taken their children offline. It was terrifying at what is a really terrifying time anyway," the BBC employee added.
"Intrusive violation"
According to the synagogue's rabbi, the incident was an "intrusive violation", and that it had been reported to the Community Security Trust and police.
In a statement, he said: "One of the founding ideals of our community is that we should welcome those who wish to join us for prayer."
"We recognize that many Jewish households are not members of synagogues, or are members of communities that are not able to offer online services. We want to assure them that they are still welcome to pray and study with us," he explained.
"It is deeply upsetting that at such a difficult period we are faced with additional challenges like these. We will be keeping the security of our online provision under review through the weeks ahead."
Another victim, Rik Ferguson of the security firm Trend Micro, said that three uninvited guests turned up during a pub quiz.
"One started broadcasting noise and bright, distracting videos, another one streamed porn and the third was just sitting there on his webcam."
"Whether all these were the same person, it was hard to know but it was surprising and shocking for those of us in the chat."
He clarified that this was the first time he encountered such problems with Zoom.
"Zoombombing has only become a thing during lockdown as people find new ways to abuse others out of mischief and boredom."
Zoom's suggestions
The police is already investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, in an interview with BBC, Zoom emphasized that the company is taking the security of Zoom meetings seriously. "We are deeply upset to hear about the incidents involving this type of attack."
Zoom encourages individuals using Zoom for meetings to change the settings so only the host can share their screen. Moreover, Zoom users recommend the use of a password to refrain uninvited guests from joining a chat.
