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[Rootbeer]

From The Hill and many other sources today.

The head of the FBI on Wednesday defended putting a piece of tape over his personal laptop's webcam, claiming the security step was a common sense one that most should take.

“There’s some sensible things you should be doing, and that’s one of them,” Director James Comey said during a conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“You go into any government office and we all have the little camera things that sit on top of the screen,” he added. “They all have a little lid that closes down on them.
“You do that so that people who don’t have authority don’t look at you. I think that’s a good thing.”

News came out a while back that both he and Mark Zuckerberg practiced this. Now he is actively recommending that people do it.

Don't think the little light that shines when your webcam is on is going to help you know if you're being surveilled either, as it likely will be circumvented. Washington post did a piece on that a while back.

Previously on GAF: Mark Zuckerberg is the kind of guy who covers his laptop's camera

 

[kiri]

I'm not a tin-foil hat kinda guy, but I still do this.....just in case....

 

[Mr. Giggles]

I do it too.

If people are gonna watch the train wreck that is my life I need to know so atleast I can try and make a buck off it

 

[Starfield]

Its true.

There are sites in the deep web where you can look into thousands of webcams for a small fee.

 

[Disxo]

Wtf, so these guys watched me watching porn?

 

[Tadaima]

Little camera things

This is clearly a man who knows what he's talking about.

 

[TsunamiOfSwagger]

Thank god it's just not me that does this. I thought I was crazy, yet I always do it.

 

[mike6467]

I just figured this was how they got those "old/young demographic" reacts to "new/old cultural phenomenon" Youtube videos. Are you telling me those aren't legit? ....fuck

Edit: Clarified bad joke.

 

[ResidentDante]

Its true.

There are sites in the deep web where you can look into thousands of webcams for a small fee.

 

[Kurita]

I just figured this was how they got those reaction videos. Are you telling me those aren't legit? ....fuck

What

 

[PatjuhR]

You don't really have to worry about this.

I don't cover my camera so I guess all the people abusing it can't stop watching me anyways. They won't have time left to look at all you people.

 

[Rootbeer]

More importantly, cover your phone's cameras.

Most phones have camera on both sides, too. Double the surveillance potential.

 

[Juice]

If you do this on your computer and not your phone, then I don't know what on earth you think you're accomplishing.

 

[Ashes]

Physical security is the best known defence against unwanted cyber intrusion.

 

[sirap]

Why do you think Apple put a 480p webcam on the Macbook? They're protecting your privacy!

Hackers, enjoy the low-resolution blocky stream of me jerking off!

 

[Jake.]

if someone wants to watch me pick my nose and beat my dick, that's cool.

 

[Ashes]

If you do this on your computer and not your phone, then I don't know what on earth you think you're accomplishing.

Phones tend to stare at pockets not at keyboards, rooms etc.

 

[Mandius]

if someone wants to watch me pick my nose and beat my dick, that's cool.

link?

 

[computers putin']

If you do this on your computer and not your phone, then I don't know what on earth you think you're accomplishing.

Well for one, I'm not jerking off to porn on my phone, so really no need to cover up the cameras on it. Hackers can see whatever they want as long as they don't catch me jerking off.

 

[8-Bit Sunset]

Why do you think Apple put a 480p webcam on the Macbook? They're protecting your privacy!

Hackers, enjoy the low-resolution blocky stream of me jerking off!

This made me lol

 

[Monocle]

As a person of limited means who cannot afford tape, I am forced to cover the camera with my butthole.

For the sake of my personal privacy, I experience the internet upside down.

 

[teruterubozu]

What about the built-in microphone? I would think that's even more prying.

 

[Maximo]

Always unplug my mic and Webcam when not in use.

 

[Twilight Gap]

god can still see you masturbate

 

[BGBW]

I do this because I have a board behind my head with all my passwords, bank details and contract details written on it.

 

[Frankfurter]

So much for people doing this being a little paranoid..

 

[sirap]

Well for one, I'm not jerking off to porn on my phone, so really no need to cover up the cameras on it. Hackers can see whatever they want as long as they don't catch me jerking off.

Wait, are you saying you don't jerk off in toilets during lunch breaks?

 

[teruterubozu]

Also, your Amazon Echo/Alexa is supposedly "always listening".

So much for people doing this being a little paranoid..

FBI director may be the most paranoid job occupation apart from the CIA.

 

[Zepp Twofist]

If you do this on your computer and not your phone, then I don't know what on earth you think you're accomplishing.

It depends on who you are worried about spying on you. Anyone can put malware on your computer. Not as easy on a phone.

 

[Crazyorloco]

What about our phones...

 

[Danchi]

What about keystroke logging?

 

[Monocle]

god can still see you masturbate

I know. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[The Silver]

I'll give em a shout out the next time I jack off

 

[Brian Fellows]

I don't have a webcam. Take that hackers!

 

[Izuna]

Zuckerberg has it on all laptops in the office so no one is dumb enough to show any images of the workplace.

 

[Abounder]

We even got a glimpse of this kind of security stuff from console wars. Germany and Co. did not like the bundled spy box

 

[giga]

Most paranoid person in US says to do paranoid thing.

I'll pass.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

Pretty sure this is not about jacking off.

 

[entremet]

Most paranoid person in US says to do paranoid thing.

I'll pass.

Same.

 

[valkillmore]

I really don't understand how your camera could get hacked, or why someone would want to do that. Can they take over your computer using it or something? I'm lost.

 

[jerd]

Even in the off chance they really do have someone monitoring the millions of feeds from webcams all they're gonna see is me sitting slack jawed at my desk watching shitty movies or possibly a glimpse of my penis for 2-3 minutes at a time. Bring em on

 

[Rootbeer]

Most paranoid person in US says to do paranoid thing.

I'll pass.

Paranoid? Or well informed?

 

[Transistor]

Don't all webcams in laptops now come with a hardware light that activates when the camera is in use? Wouldn't that be a pretty big tell?

 

[GAMEPROFF]

I really don't understand how your camera could get hacked, or why someone would want to do that. Can they take over your computer using it or something? I'm lost.

NSA? Surveillance? Creating profiles on people? They can see your room?

Don't all webcams in laptops now come with a hardware light that activates when the camera is in use? Wouldn't that be a pretty big tell?

If people can take over your pc I am pretty sure they can manipulate that light.

 

[Rootbeer]

Don't all webcams in laptops now come with a hardware light that activates when the camera is in use? Wouldn't that be a pretty big tell?

See the OP

 

[teruterubozu]

Don't all webcams in laptops now come with a hardware light that activates when the camera is in use? Wouldn't that be a pretty big tell?

Not if you have a piece of tape over it.

 

[Tevious]

Is there any reason to believe that the light on a camera can be circumvented? Shouldn't all these cameras be hardwired for the light to turn on when the camera/mic is receiving power? If not, why the fuck not?

Doesn't really effect me personally, though. Anyone who tries to hack into my camera is going to get a rather boring show either staring at the back of my desk or the wall+ceiling behind me. I have a Surface Pro, so the screen and camera sit at an angle.

 

[Cookie18]

I understand why hackers would want to access the FBI director's camera and Mark Zuckerberg's camera. For the average person they'd gain nothing by accessing the camera.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

I understand why hackers would want to access the FBI director's camera and Mark Zuckerberg's camera. For the average person they'd gain nothing by accessing the camera.

There was a case where a hacker accessed pcs of a schoolclass and made screenshots of little kids.

 

[Transistor]

See the OP

Of course I missed that line, lol. Well, shit. I always thought those were wired in a way that they always came on when the webcam activates