Identify participants of the assembly

[Guest Alfons Teipen]

Our assembly has moved to an online format - Zoom Webinar.  Whereas the in-person meetings allowed a participant to see other participants in the room, the webinar does not allow participants to "see" each other,  Only the chair (who is in control of the Webinar) can "see" attendees.  Do other participants in the assembly have a right to know who is present in the meeting (in the Zoom)?  

[Joshua Katz]

A deliberative assembly is one whose members can hear each other, which presumably includes knowing who is in the room. These, of course, are issues that rarely if ever get discussed with "regular" meetings. But ultimately, what rights RONR gives them does not matter. What matters is what your bylaws (and other rules, if the bylaws reference them) say about the matter. All RONR can tell you is that electronic meetings are not allowed unless your bylaws allow them, and that, in that event, your own rules should regulate things of this nature.

On a side note, why? That's a Zoom setting. What mandates that you use that setting (I think it's called presentation or the like) instead of one where everyone can see the others?

[Rob Elsman]

I do not understand what in RONR gives the impression that members must "presumably...know[] who is in the room".  It is often the case that members would not be, in any way, acquainted with other members in the meeting hall or area.  This is particularly true of conventions and mass meetings, but it could well apply to other large assemblies, as well.

[Richard Brown]

Just to be clear, RONR only requires that the members be able to hear each other. It does not say anything about being able to see each other or to know who else is present. However, each organization may and should adopt its own rules regarding electronic meetings.

Edited February 25, 2021 at 04:28 PM by Richard Brown
Added “Or to know who else is present”.

[elseygirl]

With a webinar setting, there is no interaction other than a chat feature (if enabled).  I don't think this would meet the requirements of RONR.  If it was a Zoom meeting with everyone able to speak (when un-muted and recognized by the chair), that might be different.

[Richard Brown]

16 minutes ago, elseygirl said:

With a webinar setting, there is no interaction other than a chat feature (if enabled).  I don't think this would meet the requirements of RONR.  If it was a Zoom meeting with everyone able to speak (when un-muted and recognized by the chair), that might be different.

I agree. However, it has been my experience when using the webinar mode, that “attendees” who normally do not have the ability to speak may be elevated to “participant“ (or “panelist”) level by the host and their microphones enabled so that they may then be heard by everyone participating in the meeting. That could be considered as being “recognized“ by the chair to speak. 

perhaps others with extensive Zoom experience with large meetings can elaborate on that
 

[Joshua Katz]

5 hours ago, Rob Elsman said:

I do not understand what in RONR gives the impression that members must "presumably...know[] who is in the room".  It is often the case that members would not be, in any way, acquainted with other members in the meeting hall or area.  This is particularly true of conventions and mass meetings, but it could well apply to other large assemblies, as well.

If I'm at a convention, I can walk around the room. If I'm given a picture and want to know if that person is there, I can usually get a fairly reliable answer. I wouldn't say that they *must* know who is in the room (that word appears outside the quotation marks). I just think that, as a matter of fact, they're quite likely to. I don't see how it is relevant that they aren't acquainted with the other members.