---
type: entity
title: Jitsi/Meet
tags: [software, web-conferencing, open-source, video-conferencing, local-service, communication, gdpr-compliance, ephemeral-storage, urz-service]
related: [web-conferencing, digital-teaching, dfnconf-pexip, zentraler-nutzeraccount, groupware, jitsi-android-configuration, android, gdpr-compliance, ephemeral-storage, universitatsrechenzentrum-urz, appimage]
created: 2026-06-30
updated: 2026-07-01
sources: ["output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_studium_lehre_elearning.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_studium_lehre_elearning_dienstuebersicht_digitale_l.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_studium_lehre_elearning_streaming_streaming.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_externe.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi_android.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi_datenschutz.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi_faq.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi_linux.md", "output/rz_uni_greifswald_de_dienste_webdienste_webkonferenz_jitsi_windows.md"]
---

# Jitsi/Meet

Jitsi Meet is a local video conferencing service provided by the [[universitatsrechenzentrum-urz]] (URZ) for the members of the [[universitat-greifswald]]. It is used for real-time communication (specifically video and audio), including university meetings, consultations, seminars, and teaching. It is positioned as a low-barrier tool for "meetings" and quick, flexible interactions rather than structured, long-term course management or virtual classrooms.

## University Implementation
The university hosts its own instance at `https://meetings.uni-greifswald.de`.

### Access and Authentication
- **Joining**: Participants can join rooms via a shared URL and password.
- **Creating Rooms**: To create a new conference room, authentication via the [[zentraler-nutzeraccount]] is required.
    - **Login Requirement**: Users must provide their **username only**, omitting the `@uni-greifswald.de` domain.
- **External Access**: Jitsi Meet provides a low-barrier entry for external participants, allowing individuals without a university account to join meetings. Organizers create a virtual room and share the room name and an optional password; external users can join the session immediately after the room is opened.

### Technical Deployment and Client Options
- **Web Access**: 
    - Optimized for **Chrome** and **Chromium**. Other browsers are discouraged and may be blocked due to technical deficiencies.
    - While accessible via web browsers, the URZ recommends (and strongly recommends in some sources) using native applications to ensure the highest video and audio quality.
- **Desktop Apps**: 
    - Standalone Electron clients are available via GitHub for users unable to use Chrome (or experiencing issues with Chrome on macOS).
    - Native applications are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
    - **Windows**: The Jitsi Meet Electron app (available on GitHub) can be used.
    - **Linux**: Specifically available as an Electron app, primarily distributed as an [[appimage]] via GitHub. One source recommends AppImage for ease of deployment.
- **Mobile Access**: 
    - Dedicated apps for Android and iOS are supported. 
- **Configuration**: When using standalone Electron clients (including the Windows client) or mobile apps, users must manually configure the Server URL to `https://meetings.uni-greifswald.de` in the app settings. For Linux users, this ensures the institutional service is used rather than the public Jitsi instance.

## Technical Specifications and Features
- **Capacity**: Supports up to **35 participants** per conference.
- **Core Features**: 
    - Audio, Video, and Screen sharing (note: iOS screen sharing is limited to external mirroring).
    - Video and screen sharing can run concurrently.
    - Full interactivity, including hand-raising.
    - Integrated text chat.
- **Presentations**: Does not have a dedicated presentation mode; users must use screen sharing.
- **Visuals and Bandwidth**: 
    - Uses a "Tile View" that highlights the most recent active speakers.
    - Employs a default view (described as a [[bandwidth-optimized-view]]) that limits visible active speakers to the last two to conserve bandwidth. This can be overridden using the URL parameter `#config.channelLastN=-1`.
- **Room Management**:
    - **Ephemeral Rooms**: Rooms and their associated data (chat, passwords, participant lists) exist only as long as at least one participant is present; they are created on-demand and completely wiped once the last person leaves (using [[ephemeral-rooms]]). They do not support pre-configuration.
    - **Moderation**: The first university member to join a room is automatically assigned the moderator role. Integration with the [[zentraler-nutzeraccount]] allows users to be recognized as Moderators (supporting a [[jitsi-moderator-role]]), granting them the ability to mute or remove other participants.
- **Security**: 
    - **Passwords**: Recommended for all rooms to prevent unauthorized access.
    - **Lobby (Warteräume)**: A feature allowing moderators to admit participants from a waiting list.
- **Integration**: Users can link a **Gravatar** account to display a custom avatar in the video tiles.
- **Limitations**: Does not support native recording.

## Platform-Specific Notes and Troubleshooting
### Android
- **Installation**: The app is available via the Google Play Store or F-Droid.
- **Configuration**: Requires the specific server URL (`https://meetings.uni-greifswald.de`) and the specific login format (username without domain).
- **Known Issues**: 
    - Users may encounter a communication error after installation or cache clearing. 
    - Specifically, build 21.6.0 of the Android app has a known bug preventing access after cache resets.
    - **Workaround**: Use the Chrome browser in **Desktop mode**.

### General Technical Issues
- **Network Interference**: Performance can be impacted by local firewalls or ad-blocking extensions (e.g., uBlock, AdBlock).

## Privacy and Data Handling
The service is designed as a privacy-focused alternative to commercial tools:
- **No Permanent Storage**: No permanent recording of sessions occurs; it uses [[ephemeral-storage]] for stream transmission (described as ephemeral caching in one source).
- **Log Retention**: Technical logs (IP addresses and URLs) are deleted after **seven days**.
- **Data Sovereignty**: Data is processed locally by the university and not shared with third parties.

### Legal Basis
Processing of data within Jitsi Meet is conducted under [[gdpr-compliance]], specifically:
- **Public Interest**: Art. 6(1)(e) GDPR for university tasks.
- **Contractual**: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR for employment-related processing.

## Use Case and Comparisons
- **Primary Use**: Suitable for smaller interactive sessions.
- **Comparisons**:
    - Used as an alternative to [[BigBlueButton]] for smaller interactive sessions.
    - Described as suitable for smaller interactive sessions compared to [[BigBlueButton]] or Adobe-Connect.
    - One source specifically notes Jitsi Meet is a smaller-scale solution (35 participants) relative to [[bigbluebutton]] (100 participants).

## Support
Technical issues are handled by the [[universitatsrechenzentrum-urz]] via the [[groupware]] ticket system or the central hotline (ext. 1420).