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Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

mashable.com

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Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#21

Post by vilda »

samuellb wrote: post #12
vilda wrote: post #5

I believe the simplest solution on Apple's side is to add a physical indicator of when the camera is on or off. It must not be software controlled, not even on system/FPGA level. Best if attached on power on/off. With a hysteresis so that even quick on/off will be noticed. Edit to add: Here's what may happen if the indicator is software controlled: "iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED" https://jschola…

Or a lid that can be slided over it. As a bonus, it would also protect the camera from being scratched

I'm not convinced Apple design department will allow that.

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#22

Post by pmontra »

gabemart wrote: post #7

I would feel a lot more comfortable with a cover for the webcam on my 2015 MBP, but the anti-reflective coating on the display is so famously, ludicrously sensitive and prone to delamination that I'm really reluctant to affix anything to the webcam/display. (This is less of a concern if you are Mark Zuckerberg.) Any recommendations of a nice, soft-touch (perhaps silicone?) cover that can be left on while the machine…

Cut a piece of black cardboard, fold it in half and hang it over the camera.

Or this https://ilovegreengrass.wordpress.com/2014/02/12/cover-the-c...

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#23

Post by demarq »

dkersten wrote: post #8
vilda wrote: post #5

I believe the simplest solution on Apple's side is to add a physical indicator of when the camera is on or off. It must not be software controlled, not even on system/FPGA level. Best if attached on power on/off. With a hysteresis so that even quick on/off will be noticed. Edit to add: Here's what may happen if the indicator is software controlled: "iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED" https://jschola…

The problem is, how do I the consumer know that its not software controlled? I have to trust Apple or whoever that its not.

The internet is full of people who will take it all apart and test the crap out of it!

It would be quite a claim and people really do love to put apple products to the test. see: bendgate.

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#26

Post by vilda »

wtf_is_frp wrote: post #17

So... is it possible to turn on a webcam without the light? (referring to macs) I used to tape it, but stopped out of fear of looking stupid.

Apparently yes in some cases, iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED [1]

[1] https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2...

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#27

Post by alister »

dkersten wrote: post #8
vilda wrote: post #5

I believe the simplest solution on Apple's side is to add a physical indicator of when the camera is on or off. It must not be software controlled, not even on system/FPGA level. Best if attached on power on/off. With a hysteresis so that even quick on/off will be noticed. Edit to add: Here's what may happen if the indicator is software controlled: "iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED" https://jschola…

The problem is, how do I the consumer know that its not software controlled? I have to trust Apple or whoever that its not.

Indeed. I had a ThinkPad with a physical switch to turn wifi on and off. The OS got into a weird state one day (a driver or OS bug) and I was shocked to discover that wifi was working even though the switch was in the off position.

So even on a ThinkPad, these physical switches are fake, i.e., they are just software settings checked by the OS, and not a hardware override.

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#28

Post by kevinjcliao »

js8 wrote: post #4

As Eric Schmidt has put it: "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place." So if you don't want people to know you put a tape over your webcam, maybe you shouldn't do it. ;-)

Hey, remember when The Lower Merion Township School remotely enabled students' laptop webcams to capture students in various stages of undress at home?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/19/schools-spied-...

Yeah sorry Eric is wrong on this one.

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#29

Post by frgewut »

vilda wrote: post #5

I believe the simplest solution on Apple's side is to add a physical indicator of when the camera is on or off. It must not be software controlled, not even on system/FPGA level. Best if attached on power on/off. With a hysteresis so that even quick on/off will be noticed. Edit to add: Here's what may happen if the indicator is software controlled: "iSeeYou: Disabling the MacBook Webcam Indicator LED" https://jschola…

If you enable camera for a fraction of second nobody would notice the change of indicator.

Re: Even Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over his webcam

#30

Post by JulianMorrison »

gabemart wrote: post #7

I would feel a lot more comfortable with a cover for the webcam on my 2015 MBP, but the anti-reflective coating on the display is so famously, ludicrously sensitive and prone to delamination that I'm really reluctant to affix anything to the webcam/display. (This is less of a concern if you are Mark Zuckerberg.) Any recommendations of a nice, soft-touch (perhaps silicone?) cover that can be left on while the machine…

It's low tech but, fold a piece of black card into a ∧ and balance it on the top of the screen.
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