Clubhouse rules

One of the side effects of the pandemic is loss of connection. Virtual sessions took over from the usual, busy conference circuit in legal tech. But Zoom fatigue has set in, and it's difficult to create those valuable, impromptu conversations that happen in hallways, restaurants and bars. 

Clubhouse is often billed as the social media app to cure your pandemic blues. The audio app, where people log in to speak to anyone about any topic, is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. Launched in April 2020 by Americans Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, the platform's numbers jumped from 200,000 users in November 2020 to more than 6 million by the end of February 2021. 

What makes Clubhouse unique is its authenticity. Unlike Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, where you wait for people to reply to your posts, communication in Clubhouse is instantaneous. The app is similar to a podcast, though people can participate in the conversation in real time. Once rooms are closed, they can't be accessed again, and conversations are not recorded. So it taps into fear of missing out (FOMO). 

What users have been able to accomplish on the app is outstanding. Broadway artists hosted live performances of A Raisin in the Sun and Dreamgirls for Black History Month. Comedians host comedy clubs and doctors host information sessions about Covid-19 vaccines. Elon Musk's first Q&A discussion became the premiere event in January with his room reaching the maximum 5,000 listeners.

Chris Draper didn't want to miss out on the growing community. He joined last year and become one of the administrators for the Law Meets Tech Club, a group of more than 3,000 users who discuss the future of legal technology. Draper hosts rooms focused on artificial intelligence, ethics and online dispute resolution. 

"Clubhouse is a better fit for how I communicate," says Draper, the managing partner for Trokt, a legal tech firm focused on collaboration security. "Verbal communication is one of the best ways to meaningfully engage. Sometimes you think if you write the best content, people will find it, but that doesn't always work."

Since there's no way to message anyone in Clubhouse, users can message people directly through their linked Twitter or Instagram account. To join Clubhouse, you need an iPhone and an invitation from a current user. Exclusivity adds to the app's allure and is one of the many aspects that Clubhouse critics like to point out. Some users attempt to sell invites for as much as $1,000. 

Once you're in, you can join open rooms, start a club or create your own room. When you create a room, your followers receive a notification. 

Kristin Hodgins received her invite earlier this year and has frequently hosted rooms about careers in legal research and legal tech. Her recent room was, "Things I've screwed up: stories of failure in LegalTech" which attracted more than 100 listeners.

"The people I interact with on Clubhouse are people I normally wouldn't have had the opportunity to talk to before," says Hodgins, the director of legal operations for the Government of British Columbia. "There's more diversity and representation on Clubhouse then I've seen in law Twitter. I've talked to people from South Africa, Kenya, South America and Korea. I've been craving that kind of interaction. It's great to hear from different perspectives. You never know who's going to be in the room."

While Clubhouse is gaining users, it is drawing attention to privacy concerns. If users want to give out invites, they have to consent to sharing their contact information. Privacy advocates warn that lawyers and other professionals should tread carefully since they could disclose information about their clients. 

A recent hack revealed that Clubhouse used Agora Inc., a Chinese tech startup, for its backend operations. Privacy advocates are questioning whether the voice app should be using a Chinese company to funnel its data. Ryan Berger, a partner at Lawson Lundell and privacy expert, says it's not unusual for software companies to use foreign companies to build their technology, but it does raise flags. 

"Companies don't always have the ability to build everything on their own and there are great products coming out," says Berger. "There are a lot of app developers and organizations that are providing app and web-based services using someone else's "white-labeled" platforms and tech. The Alberta Personal Information Protection Act requires disclosure about service providers outside Canada, and GDPR requires notice of sharing with third parties. Clubhouse didn't do that."

Hackers exploited a backend door that was created to allow Android users to join the app in the future. Conversations were recorded and posted on the internet. As is common with other social media channels, there are also concerns about harassment, hate speech and misinformation spreading through Clubhouse.

"Use it if you trust it but just be in control of how you use it," says Berger. "Most people know that what they post on social media is public, so the same principle applies here."

If you decide to use Clubhouse, be mindful of what you say. While users frown upon recording conversations, there have been reported incidents of people doing it anyway. When hosting a room, you act as moderator. For longer conversations, it's wise to have assistance from another moderator who can help manage the room and keep it going if you lose your internet connection. 

Despite the security concerns, Draper hopes they don't prevent lawyers from experimenting with Clubhouse. "Professionalism shouldn't trump humanity," he says. "Otherwise, we're never going to advance."