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With physical distancing and stay-at-home orders implemented during lockdowns around the globe, people working from home have had to conduct meetings online.
Zoom, judging by the epic profits that it was reporting back in September, seems to be one of the most popular methods of staying in touch with co-workers.
(Zoom shares did tank upon news of the Pfizer vaccine breakthrough, but have since regained some ground.)
So, by now, we really should have a handle on how it works.
Seriously, if you’re still confused, mess around on the site, familiarise yourself with its settings, and if you feel the need to do something dodgy after or during a video call, leave your laptop behind and go to a different room.
Jeffrey Toobin, a reporter for The New Yorker magazine, and former senior analyst for CNN, found out the hard way that failing this, you could land yourself in hot water.
Back in October, he was suspended by The New Yorker, after he exposed himself during a Zoom call.
He told VICE, who broke the story, that:
“I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers.” He continued, “I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.”
Muting the video and turning off the camera are two different things, FYI.
Per The Washingtonian, VICE later updated the story to add that Toobin was “masturbating on a Zoom video chat between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio” in an “election simulation” in which prominent New Yorker writers play various parties in a disputed election.
Social media users were quick to respond:
— Sasha Issenberg (@sissenberg) October 19, 2020
“election simulation” is a typo https://t.co/FRmHx3DSiq
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) October 20, 2020
Technically a CNN commentator jerking off is the most accurate simulation of election night https://t.co/l7KZlB2Cp3
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) October 19, 2020
Having lived through ‘election night’ which turned into ‘election week’, I feel like CNN was sharing in the mass panic gripping the globe more than anything else.
Masturbatory Exercise Taken a Bit Too Literally pic.twitter.com/ZLsbpxbCZX
— David Klion (@DavidKlion) October 19, 2020
You’re officially up to speed, which brings us to this week, and the BBC, which reports that Toobin has now been fired from The New Yorker.
He announced this yesterday in a tweet:
I was fired today by @NewYorker after 27 years as a Staff Writer. I will always love the magazine, will miss my colleagues, and will look forward to reading their work.
— Jeffrey Toobin (@JeffreyToobin) November 11, 2020
Condé Nast’s chief people officer, Stan Duncan, wrote in a statement that Toobin was “no longer affiliated with our company”.
“We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels respected and upholds our standards of conduct.”
If he’s ever allowed back on a Zoom call, Toobin won’t be making that mistake again.
[sources:vice&washingtonian&bbc]
