THREE incidents of ‘Zoom-bombing’, where victims were shown child abuse videos, have been reported to Wiltshire Police.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Zoom has become a popular way of having face-to-face conversations with friends and loved ones., albeit digitally.

However, with this rapid rise in popularity comes a rise in potential risk.

The reported ‘Zoom-bombings’ last week involved users being shown what police describe as ‘extremely unpleasant indecent child abuse video footage’ by someone not known to the call organiser.

DI Gemma Vinton, of the Digital Investigations and Intelligence Unit, said: “The meetings were publicised on social media with limited security settings so we’re urging individuals and businesses alike to remain vigilant and ensure settings are fixed correctly to prevent future occurrences.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson added: “It’s difficult to understand the motives: it could be pranksters simply aiming to prove that they ‘can’ infiltrate a conference and cause a stir and a bit of embarrassment; or it could stem from a much darker, more sinister place.“The important thing to remember is it’s possible to prevent uninvited guests to your video calls, as it’s vital we all continue to stay in touch.”