Online consulting is growing in popularity and this is not surprising given its flexibility and the convenience. There are a number of ethical and professional practice issues to consider when consulting online and we will outline these here. One of the challenges with online consulting is deciding which package to use.
One concern is choosing a platform that delivers the required level of security that meets the privacy obligations demanded by the professional organisations (e.g., British Psychological Society, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). In general these organisations suggest that the consultant ensure that the network is as secure as reasonably possible and, as far as is feasible, assures privacy to clients. Of course please check with your relevant professional organisation for specific guidance. Most systems encrypt the voice into waveforms during digital transit across the internet, but of course the information is potentially vulnerable before encryption and after decryption. As the British Psychological Society’s guidelines note “If an end user’s computer has been compromised by any form of malware, then there will be a risk of eavesdropping, data theft and/or denial of service.” So it is important to ensure that clients are aware of this, and that the consultant takes responsibility to unsure their computer is updated and antivirus software are installed. You can find further tips to protect against malware here.
The three systems below are all popular, free, and use Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bits encryption and could be used in online consulting.
Skype
You can find out more information on Skype here, and can download it here.
ZOOM
For more information on Zoom security you can click here or you can find more information on its use here.
Facetime
For more information on encryption with apple devices you can click here and find more information on Facetime here.
We are also the preferred partner of Performicity the online performance platform which provides a full package including video meetings, messages, booking management, taking payments and many other options.
If you would like to find a sport psychologist to help performance you can search our directory to see who is listed and you can join our directory and be part of our community here.
