[Architecture-er]

(Original post by Renal)
How easy would it be to activate a webcam remotely though? Either through malware or through a browser?

Well a light comes on when it's in use (at least mine does) - so I can sleep easy knowing that I'm not being remotely creeped on

[A Mysterious Lord]

Just disable it in the device manager...

Mine has a light next to it that illuminates when it's active, if it's not on there's nothing to worry about

[cl_steele]

i find mine quite handy ... it means i dont have to pay £30 or what have you for another one which i have to plug in, install and constantly bugger about with if i ever want to use it..
why the beef for built in webcams anyway? theyre not on all laptops just buy one without.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

But then how are our lizard overlords supposed to monitor us?

[boba]

mine doesn't have a light that comes on when its turned on like my old one did, that freaks me out a bit. But no the little camera is good and wanted by most people if you really hate it put tape over it - my mother does.

[tamimi]

(Original post by The_Last_Melon)
If any of you work for computer companies can you please inform them that having a terrible camera attached to the top of your screen is not convenient in any way. It just scares the **** out of most of us.

I co-run a computer supplier/maintenance business.
Although I agree with OP personally, I found that most people rather have a built in webcam.
Also, from the manufacturer's point of view, they're so cheap per part that it's not worth not having them in, considering that the majority of buyers prefer them.

I uninstall the drivers of my built in webcams just for that 1 in a million chance someone managed to hack my sys. Although this is pretty much unheard of since the days of Sub7 (that crappy "hacking" piece of software from the early 2000s), I'm pretty paranoid still.

[tamimi]

(Original post by Foghorn Leghorn)
But then how are our lizard overlords supposed to monitor us?

QFA

[lyrical_lie]

I like it, I use it on skype

[angrydanmarin]

Don't be so paranoid, of course no one is looking at you through it, if you're so worried then look to see if its even on via task manager

[Cake Faced Kid.]

OH MY GOD A CAMERA ON MY LAPTOP! PEOPLE MUST BE WATCHING ME SITTING AT MY DESK ALL DAY WORKING!!!

Get a ****ing grip.

[amime]

Sometimes I have to check multiple times to make sure that I haven't left it on by accident. Can you imagine the horror if the last person you were talking to could see your masturbating face and listening to the porn you are watching. Or simply watching you pick your nose.

[Luxray]

(Original post by Gofre)


Why?

I can safely say you're in the minority if you're scared of webcams.

They are minority indeed but I have seen others who put tape over their webcams - something to do with the government could possibly hack it and watch you.
And this stuff fuels their belief:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...udents-webcams

[imyza]

Never really thought about it before but this has just made me paranoid...

[Luxray]

(Original post by Cake Faced Kid.)
OH MY GOD A CAMERA ON MY LAPTOP! PEOPLE MUST BE WATCHING ME SITTING AT MY DESK ALL DAY WORKING!!!

Get a ****ing grip.

Some of us dont just work when on a laptop

[SpicyStrawberry]

I'm having the same problem, they don't scare me but I don't like the idea of someone being able to hack into it or something. My current laptop is a bottom of the range one that hasn't got a webcam but I'm upgrading it to a faster one soon that probably will have a webcam, so I'm just going to put some black tape over it and forget it's there. It's the simplest solution really.

[IWantSomeMushu]

Hit it with a hammer.

[Joeyboy 12]

Someone could be watching you during your alone time.......

[SpicyStrawberry]

(Original post by Cake Faced Kid.)
OH MY GOD A CAMERA ON MY LAPTOP! PEOPLE MUST BE WATCHING ME SITTING AT MY DESK ALL DAY WORKING!!!

Get a ****ing grip.

Depends where your laptop is, if it's in your bedroom for example... well, you don't want some random person being able to see you getting dressed do you?

[cambo211]

Just stick a post it note over it if you're that afraid.

[fourdigit]

Most people who don't know webcams can be hacked are not scared.

Those who know, it's invasion of privacy.