Do you cover the camera on your phone / device?

I absolutely do....so, that’s out of the way lol.

I’ve been made fun of...don’t care. I’ve explained why, in great detail to many folks who gloss over the reasons and, just assume I’m either paranoid or, I think too highly about the interest anyone would have in spying on me. Lol

No one seems to really pay attention to the fact that our devices can truly be turned into the most effective and easiest tools to gather information on just about everyone! Whether you’re of interest or not!

There was a story out of Pennsylvania several years back. This is when I realized how dangerous this technology could be.

Long story short, the kid was at home and he ate some smarties in his room. ( smarties are candy for anyone unaware). He went to school the next week and was called into principals office and was accused of taking drugs.

The proof was from an admin remote accessing this kids laptop camera!!!! They watched him, in his room, eating candy!!! Called him to carpet and accused him of doing drugs!

That’s when I started covering my camera.

Add to that, the recent glitch with FaceTime. No thanks lol!

From recollection, the family sued the school district but, because of all the waivers signed for use of school property, it died in court.

I still wonder why that damn admn thought it was a good idea to remotely activate that kids laptop camera???? Hmmm



www.cbsnews.com...



abcnews.go.com...

originally posted by: MagesticEsoteric
I absolutely do....so, that’s out of the way lol.

I’ve been made fun of...don’t care. I’ve explained why, in great detail to many folks who gloss over the reasons and, just assume I’m either paranoid or, I think too highly about the interest anyone would have in spying on me. Lol

No one seems to really pay attention to the fact that our devices can truly be turned into the most effective and easiest tools to gather information on just about everyone! Whether you’re of interest or not!

There was a story out of Pennsylvania several years back. This is when I realized how dangerous this technology could be.

Long story short, the kid was at home and he ate some smarties in his room. ( smarties are candy for anyone unaware). He went to school the next week and was called into principals office and was accused of taking drugs.

The proof was from an admin remote accessing this kids laptop camera!!!! They watched him, in his room, eating candy!!! Called him to carpet and accused him of doing drugs!

That’s when I started covering my camera.

Add to that, the recent glitch with FaceTime. No thanks lol!

From recollection, the family sued the school district but, because of all the waivers signed for use of school property, it died in court.

I still wonder why that damn admn thought it was a good idea to remotely activate that kids laptop camera???? Hmmm

Wonder what else the "admin" was watching school kids do in their rooms.......

I'm pretty sure watching them do anything is illegal. I'd hope that actually went somewhere, but I doubt it.

a reply to: MisterSpock

You would think so right? I’m pretty sure the school was able to get away with it bc the parents agreed to fine print conditions when they allowed their child to borrow school equipment.

Yes OP , I cover my camera on my phone ( the one pointing at me )

I get a few weird looks and my nieces giggle at me, but I value my privacy and am not taking chances .

what kinda prison you lot living in? This is what you call a freedom? Thats the most screwed up story i ever heard.

originally posted by: MagesticEsoteric
I absolutely do....so, that’s out of the way lol.

I’ve been made fun of...don’t care. I’ve explained why, in great detail to many folks who gloss over the reasons and, just assume I’m either paranoid or, I think too highly about the interest anyone would have in spying on me. Lol

No one seems to really pay attention to the fact that our devices can truly be turned into the most effective and easiest tools to gather information on just about everyone! Whether you’re of interest or not!

There was a story out of Pennsylvania several years back. This is when I realized how dangerous this technology could be.

Long story short, the kid was at home and he ate some smarties in his room. ( smarties are candy for anyone unaware). He went to school the next week and was called into principals office and was accused of taking drugs.

The proof was from an admin remote accessing this kids laptop camera!!!! They watched him, in his room, eating candy!!! Called him to carpet and accused him of doing drugs!

That’s when I started covering my camera.

Add to that, the recent glitch with FaceTime. No thanks lol!

From recollection, the family sued the school district but, because of all the waivers signed for use of school property, it died in court.

I still wonder why that damn admn thought it was a good idea to remotely activate that kids laptop camera???? Hmmm


www.cbsnews.com...

abcnews.go.com...

a reply to: MagesticEsoteric

Yes and laptops

a reply to: Pandaram

It’s true... I added links

a reply to: Sheye

I honestly could care less if people laugh lol. It happens enough for sure but, I’m not ignorant.

originally posted by: MagesticEsoteric
a reply to: Pandaram

It’s true... I added links

It’s madness. One of the south park episode comes to mind. You know which one is it.

Well, Apple was recently informed about a bug in their FaceTime group chat option that let people hear everything through the telephone's microphone and possibly the video from the camera by adding the person to the group chat, even if they didn't answer the call. Apple said that they disabled the feature. I'm sure there's more to it than that but I read the 'for dummies' version earlier this week .

originally posted by: MagesticEsoteric
a reply to: Sheye

I honestly could care less if people laugh lol. It happens enough for sure but, I’m not ignorant.

I was at a buddies house one time, saw the tape over his camera on his laptop. Thought nothing of it. Until about 10 minutes later when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye.

An echo dot sitting on his kitchen counter.....boy did I lay into him on that one. After ranting about it and him shrugging, I pointed to his laptop and asked why he taped over the camera. He looked at me sheepishly and then I pointed back at the dot.

a reply to: MagesticEsoteric

Yes my son told me to tape all cameras over while not in use.

There is a sick group of people that watch others (including children) sleep!

From what I saw on a news program, it sure isn't just your phone or computer. It's you TV, you fridge or any other "smart" appliance. They are all suppose to have cameras or at least microphones.

I'll keep my "dumb" appliances thank you.
And no echo, alexa, whatever device in my house.

Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they won’t get ya’

I make sure I don't point the camera on my phone in other people's direction when i'm in public because I've watched people snap on other people for doing this....even by accident.

I don't bother covering it for myself because I use a rooted phone and i've disabled camera permissions for everything until something specifically needs it and asks me for it.

I'm more paranoid about.other people's phones. Other people are stupid and install ridiculous things on their phone without paying attention, other people don't understand android permission management(or..own iphones...).

I don't worry about my phone because I understand how it works and take the time and precautions to avoid the possibility of it spying on me more than I already know it does(basically just my carrier though triangulation at this point)...other people's phones I worry about because of threads like this and crap I see and read everyday and the dumb # people do with their phones and computers.

Honestly, the way I see it, you don't drive a car unless you know how, why people think they can use computers and phones that have enough personal information to # their lives up without understanding the slightest bit about them makes my brain hurt.

Also...it's pretty easy to use the android api to silently take pictures or record audio. It's like one line of code. Don't trust anything that asks for camera permissions without a visible reason ever and for anything other than your actual camera app, revoke the permissions immediately after use and don't grant them until you actively need them again.

Also, honestly, granular permission management is a really good reason not to use a phone with a version of android older than 7. If you have an old smart phone, just get some cheap new one. Anything, with a version of android with permission management. If you care about your privacy at all, at least do that. Staying on an old version of android is pretty much the worst thing you can do as far as that goes.

Long story short, get all WiFi connected cameras and microphones out or your life...

originally posted by: CharlesT
Long story short, get all WiFi connected cameras and microphones out or your life...

The less the better, it's also just a general quality of life thing.

Technology is unreliable and headache inducing. I say this as someone as tech savy as the next.

It's unreliable garbage, IMO. Less is definitely better.

a reply to: MisterSpock

Check, check and double check...

a reply to: MagesticEsoteric

I use electrical tape and cover the cameras on all my devices except my phone. I don’t carry my phone unless I am going out of he house and at night I keep it next to me, but cover the camera with my wallet.