60 kids ‘horrified’ as hacker streams sex abuse video during Zoom call

London, May 9 (IANS) In a shocking tale of zoombombing, a hacker streamed child sex abuse footage when about 60 children were participating in a fitness class over video meet app Zoom in Plymouth in southwest England.

The incident occurred when the class was being hosted this week by a sports club in Plymouth, Devon, and suddenly, the young participants were exposed to the “extremely distressing” material, reports BBC.

According to local police, the hacker which was yet to be identified gained access after the Zoom call’s details were published on online forums.

“We are working closely with Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and I request that, if you have been affected by this, then you come forward and let us know who you are so we can provide the necessary advice and support,” detective officer Lesley Bulley was quoted as saying.

The police officers urged people to understand their device’s security settings.

The NSPCC children’s charity told the media there was a worrying pattern of meetings held on Zoom being “bombed” with images of child sexual abuse.

According to The Guardian, Other Zoom meetings that have been targeted with similar zoombombing include a wine-tasting event in Manchester that left some participants in tears.

Last month, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned people about porn material being popped up during the Zoom video meetings.

The Boston branch of the law enforcement agency said it has received multiple reports of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language.

In late March, a Massachusetts-based high school reported that while a teacher was conducting an online class using the teleconferencing software Zoom, an unidentified individual(s) dialed into the classroom.

–IANS

na/