How paranoid should I be? i have a bandaid over the camera and mic of my lap top. Is this crazy?

JasperFrank · Feb 10, 2022

Doing computer repair, lots of people got hacked. Had a pic of them doing something private, both visual and on the mics. And some one held ransom, so as not to become public. I can clear the machine, but I can't clear what the ransom person can do. That will always be out there and I can't help the customer on this. If it was child ****, then I would have reported them, but fortunately I never had to do that. People for some reason leave their machines on. Which can be turned on remotely to see and hear what they are doing. My known victims of this, are good people. What they are into, is none of my business as consenting adults. But I see that many people can have their entire life destroyed by Smart Tvs, laptops, and the new world of Internet connected servants like those presented by MS and Amazon that call home. I... and only opinion. Think all these things are tearing us apart. You don't want to be famous, and you don't want to be recognized, any more. And and all the social media will never let that go. Every thing, will be there, Forever.

CalG · Feb 10, 2022

Technology is the Solution!

What is the question?

ROUSTABOUT · Feb 10, 2022

JasperFrank said:
Doing computer repair, lots of people got hacked. Had a pic of them doing something private, both visual and on the mics. And some one held ransom, so as not to become public. I can clear the machine, but I can't clear what the ransom person can do. That will always be out there and I can't help the customer on this. If it was child ****, then I would have reported them, but fortunately I never had to do that. People for some reason leave their machines on. Which can be turned on remotely to see and hear what they are doing. My known victims of this, are good people. What they are into, is none of my business as consenting adults. But I see that many people can have their entire life destroyed by Smart Tvs, laptops, and the new world of Internet connected servants like those presented by MS and Amazon that call home. I... and only opinion. Think all these things are tearing us apart. You don't want to be famous, and you don't want to be recognized, any more. And and all the social media will never let that go. Every thing, will be there, Forever.

Onliest things I have is radio's so old they have tuning dials on them. I put my phone in a foil bag. That's it. No tv and such.

3 Horse Ranch · Feb 11, 2022

I know phone microphones are always on. I was having a joking conversation with my brother about paving the 1 mile of driveway and private road we need to access this house. None of my computers (except my laptop which is always off) have a camera or microphone. A few days later I start receiving emails about paving contractors and getting estimates etc. No way is that just coincidence.

4570Man · Feb 11, 2022

3 Horse Ranch said:
I know phone microphones are always on. I was having a joking conversation with my brother about paving the 1 mile of driveway and private road we need to access this house. None of my computers (except my laptop which is always off) have a camera or microphone. A few days later I start receiving emails about paving contractors and getting estimates etc. No way is that just coincidence.

I have that happen all the time. Just today my mom was asking about the cost to encapsulate a craw space. 10 minutes later and I was seeing adds for craw space conditioning. A while back one on my buddies was telling me about a c sert insert he was using at work which is basically an extreme duty helicoil. The next day I was seeing adds for them. With something that rare and specialized there was zero chance it was coincidence.

CalG · Feb 11, 2022

I brought up the idea that we were under constant surveillance with my wife.

She started laughing, then I started laughing, then SIRI started laughing.........

That's when the fire arms came out

;-)

lman · Feb 11, 2022

I was talking to my wife about needing some extra cash to go out to eat and my printer started printing currency. I always wondered how the Federal govt. did it.
And then I woke up.

RoyJackson · Feb 11, 2022

You guys ever read or heard of George Orwell's book "1984"

Hay Dude · Feb 11, 2022

I covered the camera on my iPad. I went to cover the camera on my new notebook and it actually gives a warning “Camera inoperable”
This stuff gettin creepy boys.

riptides · Feb 11, 2022

ROUSTABOUT said:
Onliest things I have is radio's so old they have tuning dials on them. I put my phone in a foil bag. That's it. No tv and such.

And yet your on the internet.

LMAO.

riptides · Feb 11, 2022

RoyJackson said:
You guys ever read or heard of George Orwell's book "1984"

Except it's PRIVATE industry leading the way.

Hay Dude · Feb 11, 2022

riptides said:
Except it's PRIVATE industry leading the way.

LOL
and private industry isn’t in bed with government?

Covid vaccine? Zuckerberg drop boxes? Toll roads?

bdhsfz6 · Feb 11, 2022

I don't think it's being paranoid. I close the lid on my laptop and turn the camera on my desktop toward the wall when I'm not using them.

IMO, you give up more privacy by doing internet searches rather than through cameras & microphones.

HawkinsHollow · Feb 11, 2022

The way I look at it. If they hack the camera on my computer 99.8% of the time all they would see is my face and the wall behind me. Not very interesting. I just don't see what someone would have to gain by hacking my camera. I hear ya on the mic thing, I have had some interesting ads pop up as well. But it would be pretty hard to block the mic on your phone, which is a lot of where that comes from. It's a new world order, for better or worse. Not much we can do about it.

ROUSTABOUT · Feb 11, 2022

riptides said:
And yet your on the internet.

LMAO.

Yep I am, but when I turn it off, I'm off the air and don't exist. I disappear.

Birdhunter1 · Feb 11, 2022

There is a movie out called "Snowden.'
Yes I realize it is probably alot of hype and who knows what is truthful about Edward Snowden, but I have no reason to doubt most of what is in the movie.
I remember when "Enemy of the State' came out in the late 90's and alot of people thought 'that can't happen that easy and that quick.' Within three years that technology was rather commonplace and easily obtained by alphabet acronym regimes.

Dftodd · Feb 11, 2022

HawkinsHollow said:
The way I look at it. If they hack the camera on my computer 99.8% of the time all they would see is my face and the wall behind me. Not very interesting. I just don't see what someone would have to gain by hacking my camera. I hear ya on the mic thing, I have had some interesting ads pop up as well. But it would be pretty hard to block the mic on your phone, which is a lot of where that comes from. It's a new world order, for better or worse. Not much we can do about it.

They can hack the camera all they want. I'm not sure someone would be all that interested in pictures of a 46yo fat ba$$ard.

There is a piece of electrical tape over the camera on my wifes new laptop. Lap top is shut down most of the time and rarely gets used.

Piece of tape over the camera on my tablet as well. I never use the tablet for pictures or video anyway.

Just e-books and bill pay.

Bill Guenthner · Feb 11, 2022

It’s a little bit crazy. I have been writing code and building computer systems for over 30 years. The only reason to cover the camera is in case YOU accidentally shared your video. Contrary to popular misconception your phone isn’t listening to your conversations. If you get an ad for something you were talking about it’s because you sent or got an email with that subject (Google does scan your email to target ads). Also, if you communicate regularly with someone on social media or you message with them and THEY look up an item or search a term, or buy something on-line then the ad engines are likely to show you an ad for that, because they assume that you will have common interests.

lman · Feb 11, 2022

I guess I'm missing out. I use an ad blocker on my browser and see no ads so if somebody is sending me ads, I don't know it.

sea2summit · Feb 11, 2022

HawkinsHollow said:
The way I look at it. If they hack the camera on my computer 99.8% of the time all they would see is my face and the wall behind me. Not very interesting. I just don't see what someone would have to gain by hacking my camera. I hear ya on the mic thing, I have had some interesting ads pop up as well. But it would be pretty hard to block the mic on your phone, which is a lot of where that comes from. It's a new world order, for better or worse. Not much we can do about it.

Nothing much except key strokes for passwords, everything you're talking about, whether you're home or not, etc.