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Original poster

To think covering your work laptop camera is just paranoia?

163 replies

TealDreamer · 14/03/2025 16:49

My friend always puts sellotape over her work laptop camera when she’s not using it or in meetings. I used to think this was a bit much but I’ve just discovered my own work laptop actually has a built-in shutter for the camera - so clearly, even manufacturers acknowledge there might be a reason to cover it.

She insists it’s because “you never know who’s watching,” and while I don’t fully buy into the idea that someone is spying on us all the time, I do wonder if there’s any real risk.

AIBU to think this is just a conspiracy theory or is it actually sensible to cover your webcam when not in use? Do you do it?

OP posts:
ClassicalQueen · 14/03/2025 20:14

My work laptop has a little shutter on it that I use. I’m a teacher so my laptop is primarily for lesson planning with the odd teams meeting with external agencies or CPD training.

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 20:00

Trousername · 14/03/2025 19:58

Can phone cameras also be hacked?

Unfortunately, yes but I’m not sure how easy it is or if it’s as common as webcam hacking.

Trousername · 14/03/2025 19:58

Can phone cameras also be hacked?

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 19:50

Arseynal · 14/03/2025 19:28

People have installed spyware to watch people through their webcams. Thomas Kwan did it to his mum’s. Out of the 1000000s of devices handed out through work how many are passing through the hands of perverts first. Tbf to Thomas Kwan, he’s a homocidal maniac, not a sex offender.

Is he the doctor who tried to kill his mum’s partner? I didn’t know he’d hacked the camera! Proper psycho he is.

largeprintagathachristie · 14/03/2025 19:43

Am checking laptop in the morning to see if it has a sliding cover! I’ve never looked.

Plonkydonkey · 14/03/2025 19:43

I watched an episode of criminal minds and after that I cover mine.

Arseynal · 14/03/2025 19:28

People have installed spyware to watch people through their webcams. Thomas Kwan did it to his mum’s. Out of the 1000000s of devices handed out through work how many are passing through the hands of perverts first. Tbf to Thomas Kwan, he’s a homocidal maniac, not a sex offender.

TreatYoSelf2025 · 14/03/2025 19:17

I don’t have a built in shutter so I always cover mine and take it off whenever I need to be on camera for meetings. It might just be paranoia but I’m not taking the risk.

CraneBeak · 14/03/2025 19:11

It's not because I think I'm being spied on by my workplace. It's so that I don't accidentally join a meeting with all the laundry in the background.

WellFilledLeggings · 14/03/2025 19:03

I've always covered my camera since I saw Carrie Mathieson do it on Homeland. It's easier now that laptops have built in shutters.

Then again I also won't let an Alexa in the house and never set up finger print or facial recognition on my phone so I'm probably well past the middle on the scale when it comes to security consciousness.

OneAquaFatball · 14/03/2025 19:03

PoppyBaxter · 14/03/2025 18:33

I have the mic and speaker muted and the camera shield closed at all times unless I'm on a call.

I once heard a workmate on a call to her mum, with her mic on. And at a previous employer (with thousands of staff) people accidentally broadcast themselves going for a wee and masturbating (separate incidents)!

‘separate incidents’ made me laugh

Hooliewhat · 14/03/2025 18:57

Well, I use my camera cover and a room divider because one my DC appeared in the background in a teams call (with senior leaders), in his underpants. He was just fetching something from the office but it still gets mentioned by colleagues now…2 years later

Uyt · 14/03/2025 18:56

I have both my work and personal computer webcams covered up, the work one has a little slider to shut and my home one is a cut toilet roll sitting on it 😂

LoyalAquaOtter · 14/03/2025 18:56

I'm not bothered. They'd get a jumps scare if they hacked mine and saw my mug staring back at them. I don't tend to just leave my laptop open so would never be caught changing or whatever.

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:55

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:53

Not usually no. The Moss Teen USA case I mentioned, the person who who filmed her nude did blackmail her over them though.

Show quote history

Well they don’t always know what you’re doing or target you specifically. They dial in and if there’s anything they can use to scam you or whatever they have in mind, they will.

i admit it’s not nearly as common as phishing scams or other malware, but it can and does happen, so I wouldn’t consider camera coverers cranks.

randomchap · 14/03/2025 18:55

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camfecting

Hacking laptop cameras is definitely a thing

Tape or a shutter over the camera is a sensible precaution

Camfecting - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camfecting

Createausername1970 · 14/03/2025 18:54

I seem to recall a thread on here in the past.

Parent went to use their laptop, only to be confronted with their daughter's female friend on camera, naked, getting dried after a shower. The friends had been chatting, both then finished the chat but neither ended the connection.

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:53

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:51

They don’t record you though.

Show quote history

Not usually no. The Moss Teen USA case I mentioned, the person who who filmed her nude did blackmail her over them though.

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:53

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:47

Linking is a pain in the ass on my device but Google Robert Davies who recorded at least 25 people remotely in intimate situations, the Miss Teen USA who was covertly recorded, and Alex Yucel who similarly recorded people without their knowledge. That’s just off the top of my head.

baby monitors hacking is absolutely not an urban legend either

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Just ready about Robert Davies bloody hell

however, as others have said we were really thinking about people watching you work from home, not a sex offender watching a child undress in the same room as their computer. I would now make sure my children keep there’s shuttered, but they wouldn’t be using the camera for 5 hours a day like I do at work so it would be much easier to remember when you’re not closing and opening constantly

User5274959 · 14/03/2025 18:52

I close the shutter more because I have a history of turning my camera on in meetings by mistake 😆

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:51

Snorlaxo · 14/03/2025 18:48

There’s a scam where you receive an email saying that somebody has footage of you wanking over illegal images and unless you pay X then they will send it to everyone in your contacts. They claim to have the footage through your laptop camera.

Show quote history

They don’t record you though.

Snorlaxo · 14/03/2025 18:48

Picklepower · 14/03/2025 17:46

Never occurred to me, what would someone gain by watching me sat at my desk?

There’s a scam where you receive an email saying that somebody has footage of you wanking over illegal images and unless you pay X then they will send it to everyone in your contacts. They claim to have the footage through your laptop camera.

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:47

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:44

That’s what makes me suspicious, the baby monitor one is an urban legend

when I say recorded cases- where are they? Do you have links you could share if there are loads?

Show quote history

Linking is a pain in the ass on my device but Google Robert Davies who recorded at least 25 people remotely in intimate situations, the Miss Teen USA who was covertly recorded, and Alex Yucel who similarly recorded people without their knowledge. That’s just off the top of my head.

baby monitors hacking is absolutely not an urban legend either

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:44

ChungkingExpress · 14/03/2025 18:42

Tons of them! And even more worryingly, cases of people hacking baby monitors too. It’s been a thing for decades.

i believe a Miss Teen USA was hacked and filmed naked, as one prominent example.

Edited
Show quote history

That’s what makes me suspicious, the baby monitor one is an urban legend

when I say recorded cases- where are they? Do you have links you could share if there are loads?

AquaPeer · 14/03/2025 18:43

lostintherainyday · 14/03/2025 16:59

I have a little sliding cover on mine, but it’s mostly so that I don’t ever make the mistake of thinking I have left my camera off on a meeting, but having it on by mistake.

Still slightly traumatised by the meeting where someone took us all to the loo with her by mistake.

I sacked someone for taking teams into the loo with them. Gross misconduct

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