TechSteppers Safety Workshop 1.November.2025 – Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous

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TechSteppers Safety Workshop 1.November.2025

ZOOM AI Meeting Summary for OIAA Assembly/Forum/Workshop (unedited)

Nov 01, 2025 01:23 PM Eastern Time

Quick recap

The meeting began with informal introductions and casual conversation before transitioning to a discussion about technology and security measures for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, particularly on Zoom. Participants shared experiences and strategies for managing disruptive behavior in online meetings, including the importance of balancing security with welcoming newcomers. The group explored various security practices and technical solutions for virtual meetings, with discussions centered on preventing disruptions and maintaining safe online environments.

Summary

Resolving a Mischeduled Meeting

Kathleen and Zoom discovered they had scheduled a meeting for the wrong day and time, with no attendees present. They realized they hadn’t sent out the required welcome emails or prepared the necessary materials. Kathleen offered to handle the situation by sending an email to Katie and providing meeting details to Jim W. Zoom suggested they could have an impromptu discussion if attendees didn’t show up. Eventually, some participants joined the meeting, and Kathleen confirmed she had sent the meeting link to Jim W.

Team Meeting with Light Discussions

The meeting began with informal introductions and casual conversation among participants, including discussions about appearance and technology. Katy outlined the agenda, noting that Mark would give his opening remarks and then everyone would have three minutes to speak. The group discussed the Join Now email and the potential for catching new participants. Kathleen shared a fun tech tip about video filters for makeup. As the meeting progressed, more participants joined, and the group engaged in light conversation about food, traditions, and the changing seasons. Mark then led the group in a moment of reflection and the Serenity Prayer, but Kathleen mentioned they couldn’t hear him.

AA Tech Security Strategies

The meeting focused on discussing technology and security measures for AA meetings, particularly on Zoom and other platforms. Katy, the Tech Steppers Chair, explained the services offered by the Tech Steppers committee, including quarterly safety workshops, weekly coffee talks, and on-site technical support for groups. Participants shared experiences with meeting disruptions and security measures, with John and Kathleen offering specific strategies for managing Zoom bombers. The discussion highlighted the importance of balancing security with welcoming newcomers, and the need for groups to consider their primary purpose when implementing technical restrictions.

Managing Disruptive Behavior in Online AA

The meeting focused on discussing the challenges and strategies for managing disruptive behavior in online Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, particularly on Zoom. Suzanne shared her experience with the Public Information Committee and emphasized the importance of safety measures, such as keeping chat functions enabled for hosts and co-hosts. Mark, an AA member with extensive experience in managing Zoom meetings, shared his perspective on quickly identifying and removing disruptors, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the group’s safety over individual concerns. The discussion also touched on the evolution of online AA meetings and the need for continued adaptation to new technologies and challenges.

Online Meeting Safety Strategies

Beth shared her experience with online recovery meetings, highlighting the effectiveness of requiring participants to turn on their cameras during sharing to reduce disruptors. John W. discussed the challenges of managing online meetings, emphasizing the need to be aware of attendees’ diverse environments and the varying capabilities of different devices. Both speakers provided insights into maintaining safe and effective virtual meetings.

Meeting Security Practices Discussion

The group discussed meeting security practices, with George sharing their experience of implementing enhanced security measures including multiple co-hosts and careful screening of new participants. The discussion focused on whether to lock meetings, with Mark explaining that their guided meditation meeting is the only one that locks, while others prefer to keep meetings open with a waiting room. Katy emphasized the importance of using waiting rooms to prevent large raids, and Suzanne shared that their group only locked a meeting once when faced with multiple invaders. The conversation concluded with Rhonda asking about technical support for being legally blind, though no specific answer was provided in the transcript.

Virtual Meeting Security Best Practices

The meeting focused on security measures for virtual meetings, with John W. emphasizing the importance of disabling unnecessary features like screen sharing and annotations to prevent disruptions. Elise suggested ensuring that all security monitors are watching the same screen, while Kathleen warned about a new Zoom update that allows users to take over the host position through Zoom Apps, urging attendees to keep this feature disabled. The group discussed strategies for identifying bombers, such as quickly unmuted participants, and Katy announced upcoming Coffee Talk sessions every Wednesday and a safety workshop in February.

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