Daughter has a New Laptop with Webcam.....Help!!!!

Originally posted by g146541
The only interest a parent should have in their childs webcam is how to disable it.
2 words
DUCT TAPE!
So when she becomes a big girl, she may do whatever she want with it.
But for now, there is no need for a child to have a webcam

I am so with you........and seriously....grandma bought it, i didn't even know it had it, till the wife walked in on her skyping.....in her bra.......So yeah, any advice on how to disable it would be nice too....and extra points for how to make it look like a computer glitch would be better.

reply to post by pointr97


There's no need to get so worked up, this is the internet after all. Look, you really want to stop her from browsing bad websites, then use some sort of firewall which blocks out all the questionable websites like they do at most schools. I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but it shouldn't be too hard. If she asks you to unblock a website then check it out and see if it's safe to unblock.

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
reply to post by pointr97

 

There's no need to get so worked up, this is the internet after all.

Look, you really want to stop her from browsing bad websites, then use some sort of firewall which blocks out all the questionable websites like they do at most schools. I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but it shouldn't be too hard. If she asks you to unblock a website then check it out and see if it's safe to unblock.

i dont think its so much the websites she visits that he is concerned about, but the boys she is webcamming with and messaging.

Originally posted by pointr97
Hey, I really was looking for software solutions......what you guys have tried or haven't.....I have raised this kid for 14 years, i have a pretty good idea what I am doing and how our relationship is going......I am not asking for an ethics debate on where the limit is with child privacy.....honestly, that is no one's call but the person involved.....if you have an insight on software....feel free to post, if not, I really don't care....I have a good kid, but that doesn't mean I am going to let her alone in a bedroom with a boy unattended.

google and read about BlazingTools Perfect Keylogger

please be aware tho that if you download this your antivirus will flag it as a virus as basically thats what it is
also use products like this at your own risk as this WILL record every keystroke from websites visited to passwords of any and every account in use

have you thought about maybe disabling the webcam first such as delete the driver ?

Originally posted by pointr97

Originally posted by g146541
The only interest a parent should have in their childs webcam is how to disable it.
2 words
DUCT TAPE!
So when she becomes a big girl, she may do whatever she want with it.
But for now, there is no need for a child to have a webcam

I am so with you........and seriously....grandma bought it, i didn't even know it had it, till the wife walked in on her skyping.....in her bra.......So yeah, any advice on how to disable it would be nice too....and extra points for how to make it look like a computer glitch would be better.

lol, ok, now it all becomes clear...

Most kids these days Skype and all that sort of business. Many are much younger than your daughter. 14 isn't as young as you make it out to be, she'll be 18 in only 4 years. Here in Australia that's old enough to do what ever you want, drink, gamble, get married, etc.

You have the right to keep an eye on here, but you need to also give her room to grow and have her own privacy. I highly doubt she was Skyping half nude with some random pedo, she's going to have many boyfriends in the next few years whether you want it to happen or not.

You're going to have to deal with the fact sooner or later, that's she's going to give in to her hormones and do things that you're probably just better off not even knowing about. The more you try and control her life the better she'll get at hiding it from you.

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder
reply to post by pointr97

 

There's no need to get so worked up, this is the internet after all.

Look, you really want to stop her from browsing bad websites, then use some sort of firewall which blocks out all the questionable websites like they do at most schools. I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but it shouldn't be too hard. If she asks you to unblock a website then check it out and see if it's safe to unblock.

Worked up....hmm, i have 30 (at least) software titles ranging from firewalls, netnannies, keyloggers, rdps.....and further.....I came here for advice on what to use, what works what doesn't....what i found wasn't software advice, it was accusations as to my relationship with my daughter, to the tone of being more than creepy....sorry, but why wouldn't that get me worked up?....just curious. You wouldn't be a bit annoyed that you go looking for advice on how to curtail any danger for your kid, and the responses are that you are some creepy step parent......your right, I should feel warm and fuzzy from it....

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder

Originally posted by pointr97

Originally posted by g146541
The only interest a parent should have in their childs webcam is how to disable it.
2 words
DUCT TAPE!
So when she becomes a big girl, she may do whatever she want with it.
But for now, there is no need for a child to have a webcam

I am so with you........and seriously....grandma bought it, i didn't even know it had it, till the wife walked in on her skyping.....in her bra.......So yeah, any advice on how to disable it would be nice too....and extra points for how to make it look like a computer glitch would be better.

lol, ok, now it all becomes clear...

Most kids these days Skype and all that sort of business. Many are much younger than your daughter. 14 isn't as young as you make it out to be, she'll be 18 in only 4 years. Here in Australia that's old enough to do what ever you want, drink, gamble, get married, etc.

You have the right to keep an eye on here, but you need to also give her room to grow and have her own privacy. I highly doubt she was Skyping half nude with some random pedo, she's going to have many boyfriends in the next few years whether you want it to happen or not.

You're going to have to deal with the fact sooner or later, that's she's going to give in to her hormones and do things that you're probably just better off not even knowing about. The more you try and control her life the better she'll get at hiding it from you.

Thank you for that mini heart attack.....I agree with you, she is going to grow up a lot....she is going to do a lot of things.....and no she wasn't skyping with a strange pedo.....BUT.....if that other boy was recording (can they do that on skype, record a call?).....that boy then sends it out, next thing you know.....my daughter is brought up on charges....

edit-by the way, my sister is thinking of moving to sydney, we will not be out to visit till my daughter is 18 if what you say is true.......I will end up with a broke, drunk, married 15 year old

It doesn't seem like you want input from parents as much as you want the ok to spy on your daughter.

Fine. Spy. She is a minor and it is most likely legal. Google the laws as they pertain to whatever jurisdiction you live in.

Our mothers did pop their heads in to check on us while we were young. We expected that. On that note...

Tell your daughter that you will be monitoring her usage of the laptop. Install software that limits access to sites that aren't approved. Limit the days, hours and the actual amount of time that she may access the internet. Your ISP may even have a service that emails you weekly with a list of sites that she has visited. I have utilized those services in the past with one of my kids when I realized that my warnings and admonishments weren't heeded.

Just let her know that you are going to do it before you start. Lay out the ground rules. Get her to agree. If she doesn't agree, send that laptop back to grandma with your righteous concerns but sincere regrets.

Do not install a keylogger. Ever. Never ever. Never ever ever. Bad habit to even think about. Yes, it might be legal to spy on your own minor child's computer but it won't enhance any good feelings on your daughter's part. And, it might just lead to you thinking that "since it was so easy with her..." Just saying that a person might not be mindful of legal concerns when they have successfully spied in the past. Maybe even more importantly, I do want to stress that a 14 year old child's brain is not addled by hormones. They are capable of reason and logic that escapes many an adults' thinking. But, that is a time of life when certain foundations are being laid. A good part of it will relate to how well a young woman trusts and admires her dad.

As a parent, I do understand your concerns. I have two kids. I was a kid once myself. Some of my friends are kids.

You know your daughter. Do what you have to do. Be honest about it though. A child needs rules and guidelines. They don't need hidden traps nor do they need the dread and resentment that comes from the person they love saying "Gotcha!".

reply to post by pointr97


What did you really expect when you asked this question at ATS? This site is full of people who hate being controlled, hate censorship and having others tell them what they can and cannot view on the internet, people who are paranoid the Government is spying on their every move. I agree those accusations were uncalled for, but you don't let the trolls get to you, it's better to simply let it slide, especially on the net.

reply to post by pointr97


Open the lcd and use a pair of solder board snips to cut one of the camera leads.
No power no luck ehh?

Originally posted by NiteNGale2
It doesn't seem like you want input from parents as much as you want the ok to spy on your daughter.

Fine. Spy. She is a minor and it is most likely legal. Google the laws as they pertain to whatever jurisdiction you live in.

Our mothers did pop their heads in to check on us while we were young. We expected that. On that note...

Tell your daughter that you will be monitoring her usage of the laptop. Install software that limits access to sites that aren't approved. Limit the days, hours and the actual amount of time that she may access the internet. Your ISP may even have a service that emails you weekly with a list of sites that she has visited. I have utilized those services in the past with one of my kids when I realized that my warnings and admonishments weren't heeded.

Just let her know that you are going to do it before you start. Lay out the ground rules. Get her to agree. If she doesn't agree, send that laptop back to grandma with your righteous concerns but sincere regrets.

Do not install a keylogger. Ever. Never ever. Never ever ever. Bad habit to even think about. Yes, it might be legal to spy on your own minor child's computer but it won't enhance any good feelings on your daughter's part. And, it might just lead to you thinking that "since it was so easy with her..." Just saying that a person might not be mindful of legal concerns when they have successfully spied in the past. Maybe even more importantly, I do want to stress that a 14 year old child's brain is not addled by hormones. They are capable of reason and logic that escapes many an adults' thinking. But, that is a time of life when certain foundations are being laid. A good part of it will relate to how well a young woman trusts and admires her dad.

As a parent, I do understand your concerns. I have two kids. I was a kid once myself. Some of my friends are kids.

You know your daughter. Do what you have to do. Be honest about it though. A child needs rules and guidelines. They don't need hidden traps nor do they need the dread and resentment that comes from the person they love saying "Gotcha!".

Thank you for your input.....to clarify, you haven't read all of my responses, no, I am not looking for an ethics evaluation.....I am looking for software advice, what packages work, what don't....My daughter believes I spy on her 10 times more than I actually would ever have the energy to do......for the last seven years, her mother led her to believe I had planted a gps locator in her bookbag.....odd thing, she was cool with the idea....this new computer is no different, I told her 'I can see everything you do, do it smartly'.......I would like to be able to back that up if called on the spot.....So I am looking for software advice, nothing more......This thread was intended to be nothing more than, such and such package does this but doesn't do this.....period. No two parents parent the same, and I wouldn't want you to parent by my method....why? because no two kids are the same.....we get to know what works, and with mine, if i don't have something to back up what I say......she takes that mile and keeps going......spitfire...it isn't often, but every once in awhile, she will test me......and if I fail..... ;(

Originally posted by g146541
reply to post by pointr97

 

Open the lcd and use a pair of solder board snips to cut one of the camera leads.
No power no luck ehh?

YOU SO SCORED.....simple, clean, and very much in my area of experience....i love it...you win.

~kicks self~ why didn't i think of a hardware solution........

AND, there is plausible deniability on the problem.....'honey, i'm sorry, it must have been a dud from the factory......we will get that looked at'

Originally posted by pointr97
reply to post by Kryties

 

Wow....trust and educate.....hmm, seems to be the common theory.....~sigh~....This is not drugs, alcohol, or sex.....oh wait, our parents taught us about those too.....how much of it sank in?.....seriously, we have all been there, parents are cautious for a reason, the reason is because we KNOW what we thought of what our parents told us....

Sorry, but trust and educate, grow up people.....A girl can quickly destroy her life by a stupid decision that didn't seem like anything other than fun at the time.....shall i bring up sexting?......Oh wait, your right, educate them to not do it.....'honey, always wear your seatbelt.'.....'sure dad'.....how long does that last?

This thread is not a witch hunt to defend the mental maturity of our hormone enraged teenagers....this is a thread of a concerned dad that would like to pop over and make sure everything is normal......uhm, same thing as opening the door every so often to the basement and calling down....'everyone have their clothes on?'......just saying that if you needed it put into context.

Jesus mate, calm down eh. You asked for people's advice and I gave my opinion - there was no need to get all antsy about what I said. You clearly are more paranoid than you are letting on, or you would not so quickly throw away what I said as nonsense.

Next time you have a query, my advice would be to not ask anyone and just do what you want - because clearly any advice that goes against your preconceived notions is not advice you either want or will listen to.

I hope your daughter comes out at the other end OK, and not completely smothered by overly-paranoid parents.

Originally posted by Kryties

Originally posted by pointr97
reply to post by Kryties

 

Wow....trust and educate.....hmm, seems to be the common theory.....~sigh~....This is not drugs, alcohol, or sex.....oh wait, our parents taught us about those too.....how much of it sank in?.....seriously, we have all been there, parents are cautious for a reason, the reason is because we KNOW what we thought of what our parents told us....

Sorry, but trust and educate, grow up people.....A girl can quickly destroy her life by a stupid decision that didn't seem like anything other than fun at the time.....shall i bring up sexting?......Oh wait, your right, educate them to not do it.....'honey, always wear your seatbelt.'.....'sure dad'.....how long does that last?

This thread is not a witch hunt to defend the mental maturity of our hormone enraged teenagers....this is a thread of a concerned dad that would like to pop over and make sure everything is normal......uhm, same thing as opening the door every so often to the basement and calling down....'everyone have their clothes on?'......just saying that if you needed it put into context.

Jesus mate, calm down eh. You asked for people's advice and I gave my opinion - there was no need to get all antsy about what I said. You clearly are more paranoid than you are letting on, or you would not so quickly throw away what I said as nonsense.

Next time you have a query, my advice would be to not ask anyone and just do what you want - because clearly any advice that goes against your preconceived notions is not advice you either want or will listen to.

I hope your daughter comes out at the other end OK, and not completely smothered by overly-paranoid parents.

which part of my response was over the top or too emotional?.....this is a thread in tech, strictly looking for tech advice

Originally posted by pointr97

Originally posted by Kryties

Originally posted by pointr97
reply to post by Kryties

 

Wow....trust and educate.....hmm, seems to be the common theory.....~sigh~....This is not drugs, alcohol, or sex.....oh wait, our parents taught us about those too.....how much of it sank in?.....seriously, we have all been there, parents are cautious for a reason, the reason is because we KNOW what we thought of what our parents told us....

Sorry, but trust and educate, grow up people.....A girl can quickly destroy her life by a stupid decision that didn't seem like anything other than fun at the time.....shall i bring up sexting?......Oh wait, your right, educate them to not do it.....'honey, always wear your seatbelt.'.....'sure dad'.....how long does that last?

This thread is not a witch hunt to defend the mental maturity of our hormone enraged teenagers....this is a thread of a concerned dad that would like to pop over and make sure everything is normal......uhm, same thing as opening the door every so often to the basement and calling down....'everyone have their clothes on?'......just saying that if you needed it put into context.

Jesus mate, calm down eh. You asked for people's advice and I gave my opinion - there was no need to get all antsy about what I said. You clearly are more paranoid than you are letting on, or you would not so quickly throw away what I said as nonsense.

Next time you have a query, my advice would be to not ask anyone and just do what you want - because clearly any advice that goes against your preconceived notions is not advice you either want or will listen to.

I hope your daughter comes out at the other end OK, and not completely smothered by overly-paranoid parents.

which part of my response was over the top or too emotional?.....this is a thread in tech, strictly looking for tech advice

uninstall the webcam driver
no driver=no working webcam and you dont have to open the machine nor "Cut" any wires

or go down the spyware/keylogger route you enquired about earlier

Originally posted by pointr97

which part of my response was over the top or too emotional?.....this is a thread in tech, strictly looking for tech advice

Burn the laptop. Melt it to scrap. It is clearly the only way you will be satisfied.

Originally posted by Kryties

Originally posted by pointr97

which part of my response was over the top or too emotional?.....this is a thread in tech, strictly looking for tech advice

Burn the laptop. Melt it to scrap. It is clearly the only way you will be satisfied.

it was bought by the in-laws, so i really have zero issue with that manner of resolving the issue.

She on the other hand, might have a bit of a problem with that.

Originally posted by UkRandom

Originally posted by pointr97

Originally posted by Kryties

Originally posted by pointr97
reply to post by Kryties

 

Wow....trust and educate.....hmm, seems to be the common theory.....~sigh~....This is not drugs, alcohol, or sex.....oh wait, our parents taught us about those too.....how much of it sank in?.....seriously, we have all been there, parents are cautious for a reason, the reason is because we KNOW what we thought of what our parents told us....

Sorry, but trust and educate, grow up people.....A girl can quickly destroy her life by a stupid decision that didn't seem like anything other than fun at the time.....shall i bring up sexting?......Oh wait, your right, educate them to not do it.....'honey, always wear your seatbelt.'.....'sure dad'.....how long does that last?

This thread is not a witch hunt to defend the mental maturity of our hormone enraged teenagers....this is a thread of a concerned dad that would like to pop over and make sure everything is normal......uhm, same thing as opening the door every so often to the basement and calling down....'everyone have their clothes on?'......just saying that if you needed it put into context.

Jesus mate, calm down eh. You asked for people's advice and I gave my opinion - there was no need to get all antsy about what I said. You clearly are more paranoid than you are letting on, or you would not so quickly throw away what I said as nonsense.

Next time you have a query, my advice would be to not ask anyone and just do what you want - because clearly any advice that goes against your preconceived notions is not advice you either want or will listen to.

I hope your daughter comes out at the other end OK, and not completely smothered by overly-paranoid parents.

which part of my response was over the top or too emotional?.....this is a thread in tech, strictly looking for tech advice

uninstall the webcam driver
no driver=no working webcam and you dont have to open the machine nor "Cut" any wires

or go down the spyware/keylogger route you enquired about earlier

edit on 17-1-2012 by UkRandom because: (no reason given)

okay, i'm with you, disabling drivers.....but on reboot, won't windows try to reinstall them?

edit-and i was thinking more on pulling connectors, not cutting.

depends if the webcam is in the startup programs as set to run on reboot

click start
type into the searchbox msconfig then hit enter
click the startup tab see if he webcam is listed there

if not look at the services tab tick the little box bottom left that says "Hide All Microsoft Services"

if you see the webcam listed there simply uncheck
click apply then click ok
it may ask if you want a reboot
reboot and that should be the end of the webcam starting on system boot
please be carefull not to untick things your not familiar with as msconfig when messed with can lead to all kinds of pc headaches

Originally posted by UkRandom
depends if the webcam is in the startup programs as set to run on reboot

click start
type into the searchbox msconfig then hit enter
click the startup tab see if he webcam is listed there

if not look at the services tab tick the little box bottom left that says "Hide All Microsoft Services"

if you see the webcam listed there simply uncheck
click apply then click ok
it may ask if you want a reboot
reboot and that should be the end of the webcam starting on system boot
please be carefull not to untick things your not familiar with as msconfig when messed with can lead to all kinds of pc headaches

edit on 17-1-2012 by UkRandom because: spelling errors

thank you, perfect advice......webcam has caused a few ulcers...just thinking about it.....