# Zoom
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Who / What
**Zoom** is a multinational telecommunications company best known for its **video conferencing platform**, widely used for remote work, virtual meetings, and online collaboration. The service allows users to host live video calls over the internet with features like screen sharing, breakout rooms, and integration with other productivity tools.
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Background & History
Zoom was founded in **2011** by **Eric Yuan**, a former CTO of WebEx (a Cisco subsidiary), in San Jose, California. Initially developed as an internal tool for Cisco employees, the platform gained traction after its acquisition by Cisco in 2013. However, it later separated from Cisco to focus solely on video conferencing. The company’s growth accelerated during the **COVID-19 pandemic (2020)**, when remote work surged globally, making Zoom a household name despite initial controversies over data privacy and security.
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Why Notable
Zoom has become synonymous with modern virtual communication due to its accessibility, user-friendly interface, and rapid scalability. Its platform supports millions of users worldwide, enabling everything from business meetings to educational classes. While it faced criticism for vulnerabilities (e.g., Zoom Bombing incidents), the company has since strengthened security measures and expanded features like encryption and background noise removal.
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In the News
As of recent data, Zoom remains a dominant player in the remote work landscape, with continued adoption across industries despite ongoing debates about privacy risks. The platform’s popularity persists amid hybrid work trends, though competitors like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet also vie for market share. Recent developments include partnerships with tech giants (e.g., AWS) to enhance cloud infrastructure and compliance efforts.
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Key Facts
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