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The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam

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Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam

#11

Post by jd3 »

kobayashi wrote: post #6

>"I saw something in the news, so I copied it. I put a piece of tape — I have obviously a laptop, personal laptop — I put a piece of tape over the camera. Because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera." Such a telling statement. It's my belief that this man does not adequately comprehend the magnitude of the issues at hand. General Hayden, on the other hand, is a man whom I believe to…

Hayden understands technology like a politician understands rhetoric. He's a snake.

Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam

#15

Post by jws »

comboy wrote: post #3

I don't really understand the webcam paranoia. If my computer is completely compromised, somebody watching my face is the least of my worries.

The first Apple iSight cameras, back in the days of Firewire, had this nifty mechanical iris that covered the lens. A twist of the bezel ring and it opened, another and it closed.

Granted, just that feature was 6 times the volume of a modern webcam and probably three times the cost, but it did perfectly address people's discomfort with the eye staring at them.

For some reason, the ear listening to them doesn't seem to evoke the same reaction. I don't know anyone that tries to deafen their microphone.

Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam

#18

Post by csydas »

CorpOverreach wrote: post #5
comboy wrote: post #3

I don't really understand the webcam paranoia. If my computer is completely compromised, somebody watching my face is the least of my worries.

To me it's not about the computer being compromised, but rather joining a WebEx/Hangouts/other conference/meeting software that suddenly decides to start sharing your webcam without prompting you. There's been numerous times where I've joined meetings and someone gets caught with a goofy face or working from home in their PJs because they mis-clicked something on a crappy e-meeting UI.

I used WebEx meetings for the first time very recently and was rather frustrated by this as well. Quite a few of my colleagues had the exact same issue, and there were quite a few surprised people showing up on the camera after clicking the camera icon after mistaking the preview as broadcasting to the meeting.

Re: The FBI Director Puts Tape Over His Webcam

#20

Post by ArkyBeagle »

jws wrote: post #15
comboy wrote: post #3

I don't really understand the webcam paranoia. If my computer is completely compromised, somebody watching my face is the least of my worries.

The first Apple iSight cameras, back in the days of Firewire, had this nifty mechanical iris that covered the lens. A twist of the bezel ring and it opened, another and it closed. Granted, just that feature was 6 times the volume of a modern webcam and probably three times the cost, but it did perfectly address people's discomfort with the eye staring at them. For some reason, the ear listening to them doesn't seem t…

All it takes is a toothpick.
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