Video conferencing no longer requires Flash. This technology has become unnecessary for users because modern browsers no longer use it. Webinars have also gone without it for a long time. Nowadays, WebRTC is more common.

So, have most webinar hosting services switched to WebRTC? In this post, we’ll break down the pros and cons of WebRTC for webinars and video conferencing, such:

1. What are the benefits (if any) of WebRTC?
2. What drawbacks are making platforms look for alternatives?
3. And what solutions do we recommend?

What is WebRTC protocol?

Online meeting platforms can stream and process audio and video streams using an updated browser without installing additional plugins. Web browsers read information from the hardware themselves, provided that you have allowed the browser access to the camera and microphone.

For webinars and video conferencing, this is often possible thanks to WebRTC. However, despite the amount of effort spent on developing this software, it seems not to have met expectations by 100%.

High hopes were pinned on the WebRTC technology, but now we see that not only is it relatively dysfunctional, but it also does not provide complete protection of user data. An unpleasant discovery for users who are worried about their privacy is that WebRTC detects their real IP addresses. At the same time, neither a proxy nor the Tor network can help maintain anonymity.

Yes, you can still hide the IP address using various VPN services and by setting up the TURN server. But in these cases, WebRTC will not work as expected.

Also, what about corporate networks where the UDP protocol that WebRTC uses can be blocked for security reasons? For example, in principle, the browser cannot access your hardware. Do you resort to not hosting webinars at all? Or carry them out to the detriment of security?

First, you can use this website to check if this software is currently on your computer. Check the WebRTC Support Detection sections, and you should see these lines: RTCPeerConnection and RTCDataChannel. If these characteristics indicate True, then WebRTC is working for you. If not, then the word False will appear.

Read also: Make your MyOwnConference account even more secure.

Hold webinars without WebRTC

After disabling this software, many users have had questions regarding reliable online data transmission. If there is a need to create a secure and anonymous connection, two different approaches can be used:

1. VPN

With this application, you can hide the IP address of your device. In this case, the transfer of information will be anonymous. Other users will be unable to determine your IP address and the characteristics of the gadget. However, privacy comes at the price of weak internet connections and disruptions.

2. Choose a webinar service that allows you to disable WebRTC

An example of such a service is MyOwnConference. The service developers provide their users with unique technology to conduct webinars, online conferences, and distance learning. At the same time, you won’t have to worry about the safety of your data.

MyOwnConference offers two options for hosting an online event. The first method does not provide additional software installation — you open the webinar in a browser and conduct the webinar. The second is with the help of a special secure plug-in that can be downloaded to your device in a couple of seconds.

The benefits of using a webinar service such as MyOwnConference include:

• High-quality internet connection
• The option to conduct webinars without using WebRTC in a browser
• Seamless online activities for attendees from around the globe
• Practically unlimited audience size

Read also: How to Enable WebRTC in Your Web Browser

Conclusion

Should I disable WebRTC during webinars?

On the one hand, WebRTC technology has provided an additional impetus to developing video conferencing, allowing webinars and other online events to be held without downloading additional programs and plugins. But on the other hand, users who are worried about their safety during data transfer prefer to turn it off.

As you can see, there is always a choice from alternatives. If you need to conduct video conferencing regularly and do not want or cannot use WebRTC, choose a secure broadcasting alternative to host your webinar or video conferencing successfully.