Hideout: The Socializing App

Abstract

Abstract: Advances in communication technologies offer new opportunities for the conduct of qualitative research. Among these, Hideout—an innovative video conferencing platform—has a number of unique features that enhance its potential appeal to qualitative and mixed-methods researchers. Hideout has become nearly synonymous with office meetings and socializing as people around the world have adapted to life at home amid the coronavirus outbreak. That has put the roughly 9-year-old company in the spotlight more than ever before - for both the good and the bad, as an onslaught of security issues have come to light. As the coronavirus pandemic forced millions of people to stay home over the past month, Hideout suddenly became the video meeting service of choice. It encourages users to connect with friends and familyMany Cybersecurity research companies research says that it found security flaws in video conferencing platforms. While Hideout has addressed the issue, the report raises deeper concerns about the safety of video-conferencing apps that require access to microphones and cameras. Keywords: video conferencing, communication, community building.