After GOP Backlash, Zoom Says China Requests Won’t Affect Foreign Users

Zoom won’t allow requests from the Chinese government to affect users outside mainland China, the company said Thursday. It responded to House Republicans’ criticism about coordination with Chinese authorities for removing certain users and activity (see 2006110074). The company acknowledged removing host accounts at the Chinese government’s request due to behavior violating Chinese law. Three accounts have been reinstated, the company said: The videoconferencing platform is developing technology to remove or block participants based on geographical location, allowing it to comply with local laws not at the expense of international users.