Online classes at the University of Southern California (USC) were disrupted by people using “racist and vile language” over Zoom, the videoconferencing tool many universities are using to instruct students during the coronavirus shutdown, reported The Washington Post, citing an email sent to the university community by the school’s president.
“We are sorry to report we learned today that some of our online Zoom classes were disrupted by people who used racist and vile language that interrupted lectures and learning,” USC president Carol L. Folt told the university community in an email. “We are deeply saddened that our students and faculty have had to witness such despicable acts.”
Folt said the university’s information technology team was taking “immediate action” to protect classes from the phenomenon that’s being called “Zoombombing.”
“When students and faculty gather, there is a trust that it is a safe environment,” said Folt. “This trust has been breached by people intentionally trying to cause great harm at a time when our entire community is trying to cope with a global health crisis.”
