Removing troublesome participants from a Google Meet call could soon feel a lot better thanks to a new update.
The video conferencing tool will now offer a richer set of options for those looking to wield the hammer of justice, with the ability to not just remove participants, but also report and block them too.
The change will hopefully put an end to disruptive users raising havoc on Google Meet calls, and will be good news for Jackie Weaver wannabes everywhere.
Google Meet block
In a Google Workspace update blog post (opens in new tab) announcing the news, the company noted that the move means that when a host or co-host removes a participant from a call, they will also be given a selection of additional actions.
Along with simply removing the participant from the call, they will now be asked if they want to fill out an additional abuse report and/or block the user from rejoining.
“We hope these additional options make it easier to manage your meetings and avoid further disruptions,” the company said.
It notes that using the “block” function should only be when absolutely necessary, and that blocked users can be manually restored to the call from the “People” panel.
The update, which is rolling out now and requires no special tweaks on the user or admin side, will be available for Google Meet on laptop and desktop devices, as well as Android and iOS devices. It is available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers, and also to users with personal Google Accounts.
The news comes shortly after the company announced it would be bringing Google Meet together with its more consumer-focused Duo platform into one single platform.
The move will provide users with “a single, integrated solution for both video calling and meetings”, as Duo is renamed to Google Meet later in 2022.
