Last month Zoom lifted its 40-minute limit on video calls for Thanksgiving Day in the US. As that is an American holiday, we did not get to take advantage of the offer, but we will be able to do so for some of the other holidays over the coming weeks.

This as Zoom has announced that the 40-minute limit will once again be lifted for Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Kwanzaa.

The videoconferencing platform has proved wildly popular in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the 40-minute limit imposed on the free version of the platform proving quite useful when you want to keep meetings concise.

Over the holidays though, people may want to spend more that 40 minutes talking over the internet with loved ones (we hope), so lifting the limit is a nice touch.

Zoom has also noted a few other things for users to keep in mind for their holiday sessions, including security and festive backgrounds.

• “Protect your session from uninvited guests by requiring a meeting passcode to join and enabling Waiting Rooms – and don’t share your meeting IDs on social media or other public forums
• Learn how to get started on Zoom with basic tips and answers to frequently asked questions
• Download festive virtual backgrounds and have fun with our video filters!
• Get creative with how you Zoom — check out some ideas for hosting virtual parties and tips for connecting with family and friends,” the blog post lays out.”

With the pandemic still a reality, especially here in South Africa, we trust that people will make use of technology and platforms like Zoom to help adhere to government’s lockdown regulations, as the country is in the midst of a second wave of infections.