Pandemic Zoom, Teams Surge Offers Evidence Trove to Prosecutors

The proliferation of videoconferencing apps like Zoom and Teams has companies unwittingly preserving mountains of evidence for Justice Department investigators that neither side is equipped to process.

Defense lawyers are increasingly warning businesses against recording virtual meetings, or to destroy them if they do.

For some, that advice is arriving too late. Federal prosecutors and other litigating opponents have begun targeting video communications from unsuspecting employers. That’s when the reality kicks in that they’ve been enjoying the practical benefits of remote office technology without considering the litigation risks of holding recordings.

“My experience is that clients are either not thinking ...