With BigBlueButton and Zoom into the winter term

TU Darmstadt provides both video conferencing systems for employees and students

2022/09/21

In the winter term 2022/23, the video conferencing systems BigBlueButton (BBB) and Zoom will be available for all employees and students at TU Darmstadt. Users decide independently which system they want to use. BBB is preferable from a data protection perspective, especially when it concerns sensitive information.

Video conferencing has become part of everyday life in studies and work at TU Darmstadt. Data protection is important here.

Zoom is highly controversial in terms of data privacy, as the legal standards in the EU and the USA are not well compatible. In order to address the criticism regarding the data protection of Zoom, the TU Darmstadt plans – as soon as this is possible – to switch to the Zoom X offering of Telekom Deutschland GmbH.

BigBlueButton is privacy-compliant

TU Darmstadt already offers BigBlueButton (BBB), a GDPR*-compliant video conferencing system, in cooperation with Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. BBB is operated by Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences on its own servers and is preferable from a data protection perspective.

Users decide independently which system to use. However, the use of Zoom is not recommended if more sensitive, personal topics are discussed. In this case, BigBlueButton, a telephone call or a face-to-face meeting are alternatives.

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*GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation, a European Union regulation that sets out rules for processing personal data.