shame microphones can't be covered so easily.

Physical measures are always the best.

yes

Protip:use one of those address stickers you get in the mail. its the perfect size and if ur laptop gets found by a good person they can return it

MSI laptops have a web cam function key. When you press it, it actually disconnects the camera from the USB bus. For the longest time I couldn't figure out why my camera wouldn't work in Linux .. turns out I just had to press the button.

I wish all cameras had the LEDs tied to power to the camera sensor. Many Logitech cameras do not and you can disable the light in a registry setting in the driver. :-/

One reason why I chose this laptop is because it has no webcam.

Yes, and so does everyone I work with.

read the API/docs it is a single bit "TURN_LED_ON" that needs to be changed.

NSA records all webcams and audio, even when "off".

Have tiny piece of paper taped to all of them, I used to date a hacker, and what they do is child's play to what nation states have access to.

On the same note, really tired of my phone listening to what is said around it and playing ONLY ads for those things on Pandora and browser ads. It's super obvious everyone phone and devices are just spy devices

Yes.

Hell yeah, I hate wearing clothes when I don't have to!

lol

they can bypass the led

yes, not that it matters, because there's also mic. but yes

Mine isn't plugged in at all...

Electrical tape over the built in laptop cams. Front facing cell phone cams have the tape too. I used to do it on the other side cameras on the cell, but I use the camera too much anymore so its inconvenient.

Just watching Enemy of the State.. I don't have a webcam or a mic, at least not attached to the internet.

Edit: except my smartphone which is both and always nearby. whatever, I'll just rationalize it by pointing to the level of technology accessible to them. They can fake your voice, your image. They can project holographs. I'm not entirely convinced they can't clone you or replace you with psychically cloaked robots or some such magical bullshit. It's come that far, it seems.

It's actually really difficult to unplug. So many people are plugged in that people start to worry if you haven't clearly conveyed your desire to detach from the collective psychic experience that is telecommunications. And then they start asking for explanations, as if you were removing a mandible or communicative organ.

Fucking domestic primates. Gleefully frolicking ever so quickly to their gluttonously entertaining extinction.

I've got a little flap of cardboard taped so I can move it to use skype and such. But it's been covered most of the last year now

On Macs, yes, 100%. On Linux: no. The driver for them is blocked, you'd have to recompile the kernel and reboot the machine to get the camera to turn on. If you're capable of that, well, go ahead and enjoy watching me stare at my monitor., you're probably in my apartment anyway.

I'd have to own one to worry about covering it.

Wait, people don't?

Purism sells Linux laptops with a hardware kill switch on the camera and microphone. They're a small company and their laptops are pricey, but they seem to have pure ideals. Oh, and a 4K display on their 15 inch model.

I read that story on Ars Technica about RATs in 2013 and have covered mine ever since. Just a small square of cardboard with some electrical tape over it. Barely noticeable.

I had a friend who was into hacking and stuff tell me how easy it is to tune into somebody's webcam and watch them. Thankfully I don't own a webcam so no worries with that. I have a usb microphone for recording music but it's unplugged and stored away while I'm not using it anyway.

Of course I do.

I don't use a laptop anymore, my desktop doesn't have a webcam.

The front facing camera on my cell phone is blocked due to something shifting inside blocking it.

I clicked a link on that other site last night and it went to a scam website that took over my camera on my phone. It also tried to lock up my Web browser it was easy to get out of. I'll be covering or deactivating any Web cams i have in the future.

I've clicked other links over there that turn into a site that says you were looking at cp a picture was taken through your webcam and the FBI has been contacted. Then demands money and everything will go away.

Never see stuff like that on my computer using ad blocking stuff.

My laptop has a built in manually operated slide that covers the webcam lens. I leave it covered all the time.

Company laptop, swatch of electrical tape.

I don't have one

I have my webcam on a USB switch. So, when I'm not using it, the switch is open, and the device isn't connected to anything.

And no, you're not the only one paranoid about this. I used to work for the NSA. You're right to be paranoid about it.

I cover my laptop cam because my laptop is in a stationary position from a vantage point where it can see much of my apartment. I use a folded piece of cardboard that is taped to the back of the laptop.

I don't cover my iPad cams because I use them to take selfies, but I keep my privacy thumb over the camera most of the time.

Related info -- http://gizmodo.com/5474614/school-spies-students-through-their-laptop-cameras

I have cute cats, and don't want them going 'viral'.