Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Zoom ettiquiete

134 replies

fuckinghellthisshit · 08/04/2020 11:53

I do a few hours of maths tuition a week as a volunteer working with looked after children. Since lockdown I have been doing this via Zoom.

One of the foster carers has been recording the sessions and told me this was to share with her own children which I wasn't keen on but didn't object to. I have now found out that her sister who runs a big scale tutoring business is sending these videos out as part of her weekly work pack for which she charges £30 (they get a class lesson as well).

AIBU to think this is not ok and they should have asked? When I questioned her I was told 'we're all in the same boat and need to help each other'. I have had to shut my business and have no income at present so I whilst I happy to volunteer and help vulnerable students I do not want to be creating content for a private business to use for free. AIBU?

OP posts:
clareOclareO · 08/04/2020 12:17

Cheeky bint! It's stealing, plain and simple. That's before you get into privacy concerns.

If "we're all in it together" why isn't her sister giving shit away for free?

fairydustandpixies · 08/04/2020 12:18

That's outrageous! There are other platforms you could use other than Zoom which will provide more safety for you and the children and she won't be able to use your kindness for her own gains. For example this one www.teachstream.co.uk/ Don't let her use your good nature to fund her bank balance!

mumwon · 08/04/2020 12:18

plagiarism! send an email to her & request she stops as she is breaking copyright
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_symbol
make up a large card showed at the beginning & tell her she does not have your permission

SeraphinaDombegh · 08/04/2020 12:20

It's an infringement of copyright and quite possibly intellectual property theft. Totally, totally not ok. I'd be sending a solicitor's letter or at least threatening to. Shocking.

steppemum · 08/04/2020 12:21

OP I am a tutor.
I charge £30 per hour.
After easter my students will be having lessons via zoom, and their parents will be paying me.

I would send her a bill. £30 for every hour of tutoring she has used /you have done.
And a simple letter - you do not have the right to use these in future, they are my copywrite, do not use them any further, or court action will follow.
I would follow with solicitors letter if possible.

She is beyond taking the mickey, this is outrageous and I would want to contact her tutees and tell them she is stealing material from you, but that isn't possible.

GCAcademic · 08/04/2020 12:22

I've tutored in the past and I would be furious at this and contacting a solicitor.

ign2345 · 08/04/2020 12:23

Not ok!!

fascinated · 08/04/2020 12:23

Speak to citizens advice, totally unacceptable. And report to the Council. Shame her on local social media too!

CrazyTimesAreOccurring · 08/04/2020 12:24

I love that we are all in the same boat as off she goes profiting from your work - priceless! Grin

She is in her boat with you rowing her!

FortunesFave · 08/04/2020 12:25

Report to social services now. Yes!

Brefugee · 08/04/2020 12:26

You do all understand how Zoom works, right? it's only the OPs image and voice that gets recorded and shared.

OP - get a lawyer on it, but a "cease and desist [and see you in court]" letter from you to both of them would be a good start. Absolute fuckers.
(on the other hand - now you know that people pay for this, there is absolutely nothing to stop you making and selling your own videos)

Thehop · 08/04/2020 12:26

Ask her for her social workers contact details.

Then get some legal advice Regarding her stealing your work to sell for profit without your consent and report her to her social worker for earning money from charitable donations made for her looked after child.

This is awful!

boli · 08/04/2020 12:26

There's lots of CF threads on here some of them are fantastic entertainment. This isn't one of them, get her told this is unbelievable

Blueroses99 · 08/04/2020 12:27

The sister is sharing content for which she does not have the intellectual property rights to use. Send her a licensing agreement with your (inflated) fee structure! She is stealing from you and that is not ok.

SpokeTooSoon · 08/04/2020 12:27

Are you hosting the zoom lessons or the foster parent?

The host (the person who sets up the meeting) can disable recording. It’s at the bottom of the list of options when you’re setting it up, under advanced options I think.

MangosteenSoda · 08/04/2020 12:28

That's one of the cheekiest things I've heard in a long time.

I don't think I'd be polite about sorting this out.

GrumpyHoonMain · 08/04/2020 12:28

Contact a solicitor as well as the social worker assigned to this particular foster parent.

SpokeTooSoon · 08/04/2020 12:28

If she is setting up the meeting - ie. scheduling the time and sending you the meeting id- then you need to change that so you are the host in future.

julybaby32 · 08/04/2020 12:29

Wrong on so many levels. Recording in the first place - not Ok without telling you. Possibly OK to safeguard you against false allegations, or to safeguard vulnerable children.
Using them with her own children - not great but I can see why she thought that might be acceptable if she did not realise the recording was wrong and I can see why you didn't object, thinking it helped students who lived with vulnerable students and themselves had the added stresses of having other children added to their home.
However, sharing these with people outside their home is a big red flag and lying about it is a very big red flag. What else is she lying about? This isn't lying to protect her own privacy, this is lying to profit a family member and in disregard of your rights to privacy and even safety. She does not know, and nor do I, whether you are hiding from abuse family, friends, ex-partners, neighbours etc. Nor should we.
And her response to you, trying to shame you into cooperating with her in your own exploitation. That's worrying too. So I would urge you to contact and keep contacting the social service in your area. Try several routes perhaps, since these are "interesting times". Please do not let on to her that you are going to do this and, and I know this is rather harsh on you, please don't try to make her take these videos down until evidence has been secured. Please be aware that she may try to portray this as some kind of anti-competition move, if your business is actually maths tutoring. you may have a civil case against her sister - I don't know and would strongly advise you to get advice before you do that, however, safeguarding the looked-after children comes first.
And thank you for volunteering. You've been really, really unlucky here but you are doing your best to make a significant, ongoing difference to people who really need it and you have my most heartfelt thanks as a human being and as someone who works with young people.
I wonder if Mumsnet have anyone available with a higher level of safeguarding training who could help and support you in contacting the relevant safeguarding people in your area?

VallarMorghulis · 08/04/2020 12:30

That is weird because in my experience, only zoom meeting organisers or presenters can r cord a meeting, participants don't have the permission, unless it is given by the organiser. I'd look carefully at the settings when you create your sessions.

mummmy2017 · 08/04/2020 12:30

Make sure you say lots of times.
This a free video, I am doing it to help.
If someone charges you for this video ask them for a refund and report them.

Original poster
fuckinghellthisshit · 08/04/2020 12:31

oh thank god you all agree - she was really grumpy with me!

OP posts:
Janaih · 08/04/2020 12:31

Agree with others, this person is taking CF-ery to new heights.

Report her to council, take legal action.

UnaCorda · 08/04/2020 12:34

She is in her boat with you rowing her!

I'd say she's jumped uninvited into the OP's boat, and still expects not to have to bother doing any of the rowing!

midsomermurderess · 08/04/2020 12:34

Of course it's not ok. How could that possibly be okay?

Swipe left for the next trending thread