During these pandemic times, it seems that almost everyone has had to learn how to video-conference with others. That is, we’re getting on the computer to see and talk to our family, doctor, teacher, etc. through our webcams.

And a suddenly popular program for that is Zoom. Unfortunately, Zoom does not have a great security track-record. There’s a lot in the news about that, and it’s concerning enough to me that I personally will avoid using Zoom. And I have to urge you to keep your kids away from it, and to avoid discussing anything sensitive over Zoom.

The good news is that there are so many free alternatives, offered by long-standing, more secure companies. Take Microsoft, for example: their Skype program is great and often already installed on Windows computers. Even better, Microsoft has just created a way of Skyping with others that don’t have the Skype program.

You can use Skype without installing ANYTHING, without signing up or creating an account! Just go to this website, and start a free video chat now: https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/

And if you are an existing Skype user and want to chat with someone who isn’t, you can still use your Skype program for that. Just click the Meet Now button in your program, and you’ll be given a Skype link you can share with anyone to start a video chat.