Security agencies can spy on you through your laptop and smartphone cameras — It’s time to cover them.
With new and modern technology comes great responsibility for us as users to continue taking care and worrying about our privacy. Technology has done so much in our lives, connecting us to family, friends, and lost friends; it has come and made life simpler. But in life with every good thing, there are always some people who want to do something negative with it. The idea of privacy is something that is sensitive at the moment. Smartphone makers, tech innovators, and others may do all they can to block surveillance from the government or from hackers but at the end of the day, it’s all up to us to be vigilant about it.
This is how one can spy on you through your laptop cam / Gif Source: Wikimedia
The Edward Snowden leaks of 2013 revealed so much about government surveillance on innocent people. Not only did the American government snoop on their citizens, but they were also targeting foreign dignitaries and diplomats. Another case in Canada also exposed how easy it is for cybercriminals to hack your laptop cam and watch you while you are in bed.
This all boils down to one point; when it comes to security and privacy you the user are responsible. Now through all this, surveillance is done in many ways. Most people (hackers and the government) are using the cameras on smartphones and laptops to spy on users. How? Who knows its technology, but fortunately there are ways to stop this. Cameras on our phones and laptops have become one of the prime sources for surveillance, and the following are steps on how to be safe from these attacks.
Covering the phone camera
Who knew that our personal phone cameras could be used to spy on us, unknowingly? A television news reporter, Michael Sorrentino found out that school-issued laptops were being used to watch children. This was disturbing of course. People took action and started covering their laptop cameras. Problem number one solved.
Unbeknownst to us then, the smartphone camera is also another tool that can be used by cronies and crooks to snoop on someone without their consent. Smartphones go everywhere people go. People carry them wherever they are so sure they make for easier targets.
Sorrentino did research about camera covers people could use to solve the problem on the table and unfortunately there was no camera cover case. Thus, he created his own The EyePatch Case. The EyePatch Case is a very simple solution to a complex problem, according to Sorrentino himself.
The fact that we have to make such products makes us question humanity as a whole. We should not be worried about things like, have I covered my camera or not before you go to sleep or something.
The EyePatch Case works through the use of a switch. When you flick the switch cameras on both ends of the phone are covered completely. Simple indeed. It’s a useful physical solution to a digital problem.
Hiding laptop camera
Hiding a laptop camera is a piece of cake. Just put a sticker but make sure the sticker is non-transparent otherwise it would be useless to put it up there.
Image Source: Nerd Bench
In case you want to buy a special laptop cam cover to give a neat look while hiding the cam at the same time, you can also buy one online or from a cell phone accessory store.
On a serious note if you can’t find a sticker just put a band-aid.
EndNote
After all, this is said and done; we still need to take into account Snowden’s revelations. The government was unknowingly spying people. And how can we stop the snooping? A sticker!! Yes, low-tech solutions to high-tech problems. Another way to stop the intrusion of microphones is by using a dummy plug into the microphone jack which would prevent the hacker from picking up the sound with their internal mic.
