Disabling microphone & camera on new laptop - installing switches? Other ideas?

a reply to: Malisa

Much like the warranty, and potentially, a working laptop.

"I gots me a brand new laptop. But it had one of them webcams and a microphone, but I fixed it so they can never spy on me.. *taps nose*"
"Wow.. What did you do?"
"I destroyed the laptop."

If you really insist and your laptop isn't really overengineered (like many are) you might be able to take a spudger or something and pry the bezel open. Then you'd just reach in there with some wire snippers and use them to do what wire snippers do. There's nothing fancy in there protecting the webcam from old fashioned brute force. Just plain old cheap China made wires.

But it doesn't need to get that destructive, TBH. A plain old piece of black electrical tape over each hole should be sufficient to make them all but unusable. Assuming there isn't a secondary microphone anywhere.

Like I said though. I wouldn't worry about it. If you've been browsing the internet for years with little to no privacy protections, anyone who might be interested in you probably already knows plenty about you. Or could buy your information if they wanted to. Your best bet is just to make sure you aren't doing anything wrong.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Here's a trick I forgot about: plug a mic with a on and off switch into the jack, and turn switch off.

Now you have a blocked jack....and it's effectively dead...until the switch goes to "On"...or you unplug it.

A "dummy" plug works as well. I've not known a way in if the jack is in use and that device switched off...

originally posted by: BrianFlanders

Like I said though. I wouldn't worry about it. If you've been browsing the internet for years with little to no privacy protections, anyone who might be interested in you probably already knows plenty about you. Or could buy your information if they wanted to. Your best bet is just to make sure you aren't doing anything wrong.

*And hope they don't change the rules one fine night while you're sleeping. That happens sometimes.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Here's a trick I forgot about: plug a mic with a on and off switch into the jack, and turn switch off.

Now you have a blocked jack....and it's effectively dead...until the switch goes to "On"...or you unplug it.

A "dummy" plug works as well. I've not known a way in if the jack is in use and that device switched off...

Or if you really believe anyone is listening, carry around a sound recorder with you for a while and record some fart ASMR and then build an audio loop file of several hours of farts and plug that into the microphone jack and play it all the time.

originally posted by: BrianFlanders

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Here's a trick I forgot about: plug a mic with a on and off switch into the jack, and turn switch off.

Now you have a blocked jack....and it's effectively dead...until the switch goes to "On"...or you unplug it.

A "dummy" plug works as well. I've not known a way in if the jack is in use and that device switched off...

Or if you really believe anyone is listening, carry around a sound recorder with you for a while and record some fart ASMR and then build an audio loop file of several hours of farts and plug that into the microphone jack and play it all the time.

There is absolutely NO such thing as fart ASMR.. nor is there some old woman eating carrots and celery, as real ASMR..

It's all about tapping and the inadvertent breathing that comes across, that is where the tingles at...

Fart ASMR... you kids.. And if there is, then someone definitely needs to plug that jack.

Isn't a lap the same thing as a top? Your lap is the top of your legs.

originally posted by: BrianFlanders
Isn't a lap the same thing as a top?

"Hyuk, your boobs sure do feel nice."
"But, that's not my top, that's my lap, Clive.."
"Oh yeah.. Hyuk, well I'm still feelin' 'em though, Steve..."

I need some bleach and some hand sanitiser, stat..

a reply to: BrianFlanders

I do that with phone scammers.....

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

The camera is easy; a piece of electrical tape will cover that. The mic is a little trickier. Yes, you can use the control panel, but can you trust that? I prefer to have a headset plugged in that has its own mic, with an off switch on that. The headset mic bypasses the other, and can be muted manually. Simple, and should work.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Here's a trick I forgot about: plug a mic with a on and off switch into the jack, and turn switch off.

Now you have a blocked jack....and it's effectively dead...until the switch goes to "On"...or you unplug it.

A "dummy" plug works as well. I've not known a way in if the jack is in use and that device switched off...

Posted that same idea, then read yours. That's what I do. No worries that way!