Zoom is currently testing a new program that'll show ads at the end of free meetings, the company announced in a blog post. This will upset some free Zoom users, but it's not as bad as it sounds.
"With this in mind, today we are excited to roll out a pilot advertising program that we expect will enable us to support investment and continue providing free Basic users with access to our robust platform," Zoom's Chief Marketing Officer Janine Pelosi said.
Pelosi broke down what this program will look like for users. "For this initial program, ads will be rolled out only on the browser page users see once they end their meeting. Only free Basic users in certain countries will see these ads if they join meetings that are hosted by other free Basic users."
it sounds like the ads aren't too intrusive since they're shown as a banner in a browser window when a meeting is over. They won't interrupt your meeting or make you wait to start a meeting, so it seems like Zoom is rolling the ad pilot program out in the least intrusive way possible, at least for now. If the program doesn't do well, it's possible that the company could change the way it shows these ads.
Pelosi rounded out the blog post by saying, "We are incredibly proud to provide a service that helps so many people around the world stay connected. This change ensures that our free Basic users are able to continue connecting with friends, family, and colleagues with the same robust platform we have always offered."