An online recovery meeting can make it possible to connect when travel, distance, or scheduling limits your options. Before joining, take a few minutes to confirm the session and review your device settings. Anonymity is an important fellowship principle, but it does not create a technical guarantee that everything shared online will remain private.
Confirm the meeting and its time zone
Follow joining instructions from the official fellowship or meeting host. Check the day, recurrence, time zone, and any password or registration requirements. Do not assume that “Eastern” or “Pacific” means the same clock time where you live, especially around seasonal clock changes.
NA World Services provides joining guidance alongside its virtual meeting search. Its instructions explain that joining an NA meeting does not require submitting a meeting-change form. Other organizations may use different admission procedures, so follow the instructions for the session you selected.
Prepare your device and display name
Learn where the microphone, camera, and display-name controls are before the session begins. Consider whether your account automatically shows a full legal name, workplace, or profile photograph. Choose a display name consistent with the group’s instructions and your privacy preferences.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends keeping conferencing software updated and obtaining it from the official service or app store. Verify an unexpected invitation with the host through a known contact method. Avoid downloading software or entering account credentials through an unfamiliar message.
Use headphones and a private location when possible. Look behind you for identifying documents or other people who have not agreed to appear. A virtual background can reduce what is visible, but it does not make the meeting confidential.
Ask about cameras, recording, and participation
Ask the host about camera expectations, screenshots, recording, chat, and how to request help. Some groups use a brief camera check or a waiting room; others have different arrangements. Do not assume that camera-off attendance is accepted everywhere.
A.A.’s Understanding Anonymity discusses first-name choices, cameras, and reminders against screenshots in virtual meetings. Respect other participants’ privacy: do not record, capture images, repost a story, or identify attendees on social media. Even when a group prohibits recording, a participant could disregard that rule; share with that limitation in mind.
Know how to get assistance or leave
Locate the host or moderator and learn how to contact them privately if someone disrupts the session. NA’s Virtual Meeting Basics covers meeting security, anonymity, etiquette, and accessibility. Its suggestions belong to NA; organizers in other fellowships should consult their own guidance too.
You can leave a session that feels unsafe and look for another verified option. Afterwards, sign out on shared devices and avoid saving meeting details where others can see them. For a backup session, use our meeting directory and confirm its official listing. If you are new to peer support, read our first-meeting guide before you join.
Sources and further reading
- NA World Services: Virtual Meeting Search and Joining Guidance
- NA World Services: Virtual Meeting Basics
- Alcoholics Anonymous: Understanding Anonymity
- Federal Trade Commission: Stay Safe While Video Conferencing
Editorial guide updated October 25, 2026. Sources checked on that date. This independent directory is not affiliated with the organizations cited. General peer-support information; not individualized medical advice.
