'Zoom-bombed' | Salary cuts call eavesdropped on by rival company

Staff at national news outlet The Independent were on a ‘confidential and sensitive video’ Zoom call to learn about salary cuts and furloughs when it was ‘zoom-bombed’ by an employee from a rival media organisation.

The reporter, Mark Di Stefano of The Financial Times, who is currently suspended by his employers, appeared on The Independent’s 100-person call for 16 seconds before leaving.

Press Gazette and The Independent reported that five minutes later a separate account joined for the remainder of the call, with video switched off, and this account was linked to the mobile phone used by Di Stefano.

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News of salary cuts and furlough, as well as the reasons behind them, were shared by Di Stefano on Twitter as staff were still being told.