> The camera is engineered so that it can’t activate without the camera indicator light also turning on. This is how you can tell if your camera is on. Is this verifiably true? I trust Apple on security matters more than the average laptop maker, but the fact that so many of these indicator lights are software-controlled erodes my trust in basically all of them.
Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
321–330 of 990 posts
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#322Just as a social observation I noticed a pattern which always struck me pretty hard: Nearly all (say 9 out of 10, and not, it's not an exaggeration) of my friends – me included FWIW – have some kind of cover over their webcams. This is true even for people who you would describe as the opposite of tech-savvy. Sometimes these folks even have no ad blocker installed and use Chrome happily. But still: Everybody has some…
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#323Earlier quoted context omitted.
How could it be equally lucrative? The amount of information someone can gather from a camera is much smaller than what you could gather from a microphone in a given room. If I am in a conference room talking about strategy, an uncovered camera will just pick me up. The microphone will capture everyone’s conversation.
If you have your laptop in your bedroom, an uncovered camera can provide material for blackmail easily and fast.
Also what are the chances that a microphone wouldn’t overhear something incriminating even if the camera were covered in your bedroom?
And I am really not trying to go down the road of wondering if you are doing something incriminating in your bedroom and your partner is being completely silent what that implies.....
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#324Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would say you are equally likely to catch someone jacking off through the webcam as to catch valuable information through the microphone. They are therefore equally lucrative
How could it be equally lucrative? The amount of information someone can gather from a camera is much smaller than what you could gather from a microphone in a given room. If I am in a conference room talking about strategy, an uncovered camera will just pick me up. The microphone will capture everyone’s conversation.
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#325Earlier quoted context omitted.
With regard to privacy, the microphone is 100x more sensitive than the camera most of the time, and it’s much harder to secure.
Mic-Lock: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KRC3G7R/
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#326Earlier quoted context omitted.
What makes you feel that way? I enjoy the peace of mind and lack of a notch on my screen. It's designed and advertised as a feature, not an oversight.
There's a lot more moving parts to go wrong.
Regardless, it's a feature I wanted and the engineering team catered to this desire, so I don't see how this is an oversight. Engineering is about trade-offs.
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#327> The camera is engineered so that it can’t activate without the camera indicator light also turning on. This is how you can tell if your camera is on. I'd assume this is done in firmware for the camera module?
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#328Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#329Earlier quoted context omitted.
How could it be equally lucrative? The amount of information someone can gather from a camera is much smaller than what you could gather from a microphone in a given room. If I am in a conference room talking about strategy, an uncovered camera will just pick me up. The microphone will capture everyone’s conversation.
If you have your laptop in your bedroom, an uncovered camera can provide material for blackmail easily and fast.
Re: Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera
#330I've had tape over my camera on my mac pro for over 10 years and have had no problems. And no Apple I don't trust the light indicator.