The local governments focus on virtual meeting rules under the trend “zoom bombing” threats

Columbus, Ohio (Wsyx) – For years, the residents of Columbus have been able to observe city council meetings on their telephones, tablets and laptops.

Jose Rodriguez, the council's communication director, emphasized the importance of public access to meetings and explained: “It is important that our meetings are available to the public, but we want to do this in a safe way.”

To prevent disorders, the council can silence any speaker who makes derogatory comments.

“We have full control over what you say, because if you are inappropriate, we can do it immediately,” said Rodriguez.

The CTV Columbus Government Television offers a feed of council meetings that can be found on the city's website.

Columbus City Council uses Webex, a webinar system that can be used to switch off virtual cameras.

The speakers have to register in advance, and the city council then offers a limited left -wing speaker for registration.

Safety concerns are even better in the sense due to a troubling trend that is referred to as the “zoom bomb bomb stop”, in which video meetings are kidnapped with offensive material.

“These are learning lessons that we all go through,” said Rodriguez.

A session of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday was disturbed by a video that included people in Ku Klux Klan outfits, pornographic pictures as well as anti -Semitic and racist rants.

The video was quickly removed from the district.

In view of these incidents, speakers can now only personally comment on the Franklin County Commissioner's district sessions, while officials determine how they can allow virtual statements safely.

In a similar way, Worthington prescribed personal participation in the comments of the council after two online callers made anti-Semitic comments during a meeting of the council members in September.

Comments can be sent by e -mail, but are not read publicly during the meeting.

The Columbus City Council has no problems with virtual visitors and carries out regular checks to adapt to the developing digital landscape.

“It is quite complex and it takes time and resources,” said Rodriguez.