Changes are in store for people who attend Langley City Council meetings remotely.

To avoid any future instances of Zoom bombing – unwelcome disruptions to teleconferenced public meetings by unwelcome intruders that often involve profanity or pornography – the city of Langley is taking steps to crack down on online participation.

For those who wish to attend meetings virtually, they must now submit their public comments in advance of the meeting, no later than 10 a.m. that day. Online participants can fill out the public comment request form on the city’s website, at langleywa.org/government/city_council.php. Virtual participants will not be able to comment during the meeting unless they fill out the form beforehand, which asks for the meeting date, first and last name, city or town of residence, email address and subject of comment.

If attending a meeting in person, there are no changes.

During a city council meeting last week, Deputy Clerk Kristen Abraham advised online participants to register to make a public comment, and they can always decide not to make one during the meeting if they change their minds.

Mayor Kennedy Horstman said this is something the city has been working on for a while, and it’s time to be prepared.

Public meetings all around Whidbey have been targets of Zoom bombs in the past few years. Most recently, the swearing in ceremony of Island County Commissioners Jill Johnson and Melanie Bacon was interrupted in December 2024 by pornographic imagery. Langley City Council itself was targeted in 2022, and the Port of South Whidbey in 2021.