Open-Source Alternatives to Zoom
Zoom is a video conferencing platform that gained widespread popularity at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is free (with limitations), easy to use, stable, and offers excellent video quality even at modest internet speeds. However, trust in the platform was shaken due to privacy and security issues. This includes data sharing with third parties without clear user consent and ongoing security concerns — the potential for random individuals to "bomb" supposedly private Zoom meetings, as well as the lack of end-to-end encryption. Most shocking was the revelation that Zoom shared data with Facebook, even for users without a Facebook account. Although many of these issues have been resolved or mitigated (for instance, Zoom bombing is still possible, but additional security measures make it much less likely), concerns about Zoom remain. The company continues to collect and sell "anonymized" user data to analytical and advertising partners, and in August 2023, it had to backtrack on new terms of service that apparently allowed the company to train its generative AI models on user data. Zoom also has proprietary software, so you can never be entirely sure what it is doing. We searched and found several open-source alternatives.
Jitsi Meet
To start a video call, simply go to the website, initiate a session, and share the meeting link with your contacts. By default, the platform creates unique, random names for each meeting room. You have the option to choose your own name for your meeting and secure it with a password for an additional layer of protection. Until August 2023, Jitsi supported anonymous conference holding. However, in response to platform abuses (such as broadcasting CSAM during video conferences), all meetings now must have a moderator, who must log in using their account on Gmail, Facebook, or GitHub. If this concerns you, there is always the option to deploy your own instance of Jitsi. The platform supports virtual backgrounds, messaging, screen sharing, and numerous integrations with other platforms.
Jami
This is a distributed, free, open-source (FOSS) video chat platform that uses peer-to-peer network technology to eliminate the need for centralized servers or third-party hosting. No personal information is required to create an account, but all participants must download the application. Screen sharing, media streaming, and audio and video recording are supported "out of the box," and five Jami extensions can add extra features such as virtual backgrounds, locally running AI-generated subtitles on your device, and even a reverb filter for online music sessions. Since there is no centralized server, there's no one to collect or store user metadata. However, as this technology is based on a peer-to-peer network that directly connects to other network participants, other Jami users you connect to can see your IP address. If this is a concern, you can hide it by using a VPN.
Signal
Signal is better known as a secure, open-source messaging app, but it can now also be used for hosting group chats of up to 40 participants. They use the same audited and widely respected Signal protocol that secures text chats. Video quality on Signal is a regular point of complaint among users, but it serves its purpose. Although initially developed as a mobile messaging app, Signal is also available as a desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux with screen sharing support. These Zoom alternatives are free and open source, but vary greatly in their focus.
