To think covering your work laptop camera is just paranoia?

[TealDreamer]

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?

Umm I’m on mat leave but I’d have mine covered unless in meetings. Couldn’t say why.

I don’t bother tbh but it is something you should do in general. Our company had IT / cyber safety sessions and the guy was talking about how easy it is to hack into webcams. It’s definitely a legit piece of advice, but probably one not many people bother about.

I put a post-it over mine. It probably is paranoia but it’s a small thing that makes me feel more comfortable wfh.

I always shut mine with the built in shutter unless I'm in a camera on meeting. Don't particularly think my workplace is spying on me but this way I know I'm not accidently going to a meeting camera on and unprepared in my dressing gown 😂.

(I do get dressed and make up on even for WFM but normally have another layer on for warmth which is then whipped off for meetings.)

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.

Mine didn't come with a cover but you can buy sliding covers that stick on so I got one. I don't tend to use it but I like knowing it is an option.

I really couldn't give a shit about this. In the vastly unlikely event that my work laptop's webcam was hacked, all anyone would see while I'm working would be me sitting here typing in a box room. And when I'm not using my laptop, it's closed, so they'd see nothing.

A lot of people started covering after an interview with Mark Zuckerberg showed his laptop with the camera covered.

Mark Zuckerberg covers his with a bit of tape. Make of that what you will.

I used to have a colleague that always has a bit of a post-it over his camera. I always thought it oddly paranoid.

It's the microphone I would be worried about. Im more likely to be moaning about work than running around naked ( for example)

I don’t bother, I have enough post it notes without an extra one fluttering about when I don’t need it. My daughter tapes over hers which I find amusing in a way. I don’t think either of us are of the slightest interest to hackers.

There’s usually a light that shows when the camera’s operating, isn’t there? There is on mine.

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

The more paranoid among us (me) would worry that the light was broken, but camera on…

OK.

this is exactly what I think.
so what if my camera did get hacked? I don't see how my face looking alternatively bored/concentrating is fodder for russian spybots or whatever.
It's not like I type holding my passport and bank details in front of my face.

I can understand people who work in the living room with kids wandering around might want to take precautions, and if you were Mark Zuckerberg having confidential meetings and living in a mansion fair enough, you might have legitimate concerns about being hacked, but Joe Bloggs in their spare room is just being paranoid, imho.

I have a small bit of the sticky bit of a post it note over mine. My teenage boys advised me to do it after an online security talk at school

It's not something I have ever given any thought to, nor am I worried about it. I work in a plain box room office, am always dressed when using my work laptop, and I shut it down fully every evening.

People can and do hack laptop cameras, baby monitors, security cameras, etc. I’ve never had mine covered, but I don’t think it’s paranoia or a conspiracy theory mindset to do so! In fact, I think I might tape mine over!

The camera is built into the laptop, I’m not sure what you mean by people watching you. The hardware doesn’t just randomly start recording you it would have to be activated by a programme (like teams?) and how wouldn’t you notice that?

It depends on the vantage point they have, I guess. They may be able to see you typing passwords and pins. There may be documents in the room they can glimpse.

Hackers can key into it and activate it remotely.

Why? How would they record it? When you say activate it what do you mean? It’s only activated by a programme.

it’s like saying you’re at risk of your digital camera being hacked and someone watching it sitting on a shelf 😕

They look around at security systems you may have, documents, all kinds of things that they can use

They can turn your camera on remotely without you knowing. You don’t need to have Teams or anything for that, but even if you do have to have a programme, they can also covertly install software on laptops.