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An Elegant Way To Block Facetime Camera On Retina Macbook Pro?

O

ooans

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 4, 2011
284
338
Hey,

Anyone know an elegant way to block the Facetime camera on a rMBP when it is not in use?

I did a Google search, but only came up with "iPatch Slim" and unfortunately they don't seem to be on sale anymore.

Because of the glass surface I would rather not use tape, cause it would surely leave a mark on the long run.

Thanks!
 
D

Dovahkiing

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2013
480
466
I don't think there is an 'elegant' way. Actually, I think a little patch of black electrical tape would be more elegant than a slide on piece of plastic.

This actually touches on something I've been wondering for a while. Maybe someone who knows more could help me understand...

What's the big worry about people spying on you through your camera? It just seems so paranoid to me. Even assuming as fact that it is possible for someone to hijack your camera, why would anyone want to? I mean besides a spiteful ex, or someone who is on some personal vendetta.

It just seems to me like there is no real information to be gained from someone's webcam. Even if they could, why would hackers or the NSA spy though your camera? Much better to take screenshots and keylogs I think.
 
Gav2k

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
Search eBay for 3mm round circle stickers.

None of them will damage or mark the glass
 
themumu

themumu

macrumors 6502a
Feb 13, 2011
727
644
Sunnyvale
Dovahkiing said:
I don't think there is an 'elegant' way. Actually, I think a little patch of black electrical tape would be more elegant than a slide on piece of plastic.

This actually touches on something I've been wondering for a while. Maybe someone who knows more could help me understand...

What's the big worry about people spying on you through your camera? It just seems so paranoid to me. Even assuming as fact that it is possible for someone to hijack your camera, why would anyone want to? I mean besides a spiteful ex, or someone who is on some personal vendetta.

It just seems to me like there is no real information to be gained from someone's webcam. Even if they could, why would hackers or the NSA spy though your camera? Much better to take screenshots and keylogs I think.
Click to expand...

Indeed. The data on your computer is much more valuable than the image captured by the user-facing camera. If I was a spy and wanted to go after someone to that extent, I'd probably consider the input from their microphone to be more valuable than the camera, and there is no simple off switch for that. When you are working in front of a computer, the camera sees a rather boring and rarely descriptive image of your face. If you are doing something else, might as well just close the screen, problem solved.

One exception I can think of is when you're watching porn. Wouldn't want anyone watching you back then ;)
 
simonsi

simonsi

Contributor
Jan 3, 2014
4,851
735
Auckland
There are well-known entrapment scams around but they rely on knowing use of the camera, I'm not aware of any covert entrapment/surveillance etc, someone would have to watch a LOT of covert webcam footage to get anything useful I suspect....
 
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R

rontheancient

macrumors regular
Nov 22, 2005
225
1
USA
Office scotch tape (the translucent/matte type) works wonders. It blurs enough, blends with the bezel/screen, and isnt too adhesive to leave residue when peeled.

And it's cheap enough to be free: if you frequently raid your office's supply room.
 
laurihoefs

laurihoefs

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2013
792
23
Dovahkiing said:
What's the big worry about people spying on you through your camera? It just seems so paranoid to me. Even assuming as fact that it is possible for someone to hijack your camera, why would anyone want to? I mean besides a spiteful ex, or someone who is on some personal vendetta.

It just seems to me like there is no real information to be gained from someone's webcam. Even if they could, why would hackers or the NSA spy though your camera? Much better to take screenshots and keylogs I think.
Click to expand...

I'll just leave some links here:

Meet the men who spy on women through their webcams
To pay off webcam spies, Detroit kid pawns $100k in family jewels for $1,500
Man “fixes” women’s computers, watches them through webcams
Webcam spying goes mainstream as Miss Teen USA describes hack
School IT allegedly took “thousands” of pics in webcam case

Edit: Ok, I'll also comment the links a bit. They are a couple of fairly recent webcam spying cases, the motives, and subjects a bit different in each case. While I'm keeping my webcam uncovered, I certainly see why someone might choose otherwise.
 
Last edited:
Paul123123123

Paul123123123

macrumors newbie
Jan 7, 2017
2
1
Geneva, Switzerland
ooans said:
Hey,

Anyone know an elegant way to block the Facetime camera on a rMBP when it is not in use?

I did a Google search, but only came up with "iPatch Slim" and unfortunately they don't seem to be on sale anymore.

Because of the glass surface I would rather not use tape, cause it would surely leave a mark on the long run.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1483814450][/doublepost]Hi,

Yes! This sophisticated, sleek, thin, ergonomic and seamless web camera cover recently came out!
Checkout Intelligentsecurity.company
 
CE3

CE3

macrumors 68000
Nov 26, 2014
1,808
3,146
https://www.amazon.com/MySpyBlocker...qid=1483907515&sr=8-3&keywords=webcam+sticker

If you use one of the little ones, it pretty discreet and barely noticeable. I don't recommend electrical tape as the adhesive leaves behind a messy residue. These can be easily peeled off when you want to use the cam.

I wish people would stop with the judgements whenever this topic comes up. Yes, this doesn't protect our data or microphones, but some people (myself included) find the notion of a stranger peering in on them or their family at any moment a very violating prospect. Will it happen to you? Who knows. but does it happen? Yes. Even the FBI covers their webcams:

You go into any government office and we all have the little camera things that sit on top of the screen,” he added. “They all have a little lid that closes down on them.

“You do that so that people who don’t have authority don’t look at you. I think that’s a good thing.”
Click to expand...

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/295933-fbi-director-cover-up-your-webcam
 
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Marshall73

Marshall73

macrumors 68030
Apr 20, 2015
2,676
2,773
The webcam is now hooked up to the chip for Touch ID, not sure if it's for security or just sharing a bus. Either way, the little led comes on when the camera does. Just get a little drill and drill it out, fill the hole with a bit of silicon, job done.
 
C

Chocomonsters

macrumors regular
May 22, 2007
166
45
Saw a picture of Mark Zuckerberg using simple tape over his laptop camera. If simple tape is elegant for Zuckerberg, is it for you?
 
CE3

CE3

macrumors 68000
Nov 26, 2014
1,808
3,146
Marshall73 said:
The webcam is now hooked up to the chip for Touch ID, not sure if it's for security or just sharing a bus. Either way, the little led comes on when the camera does. Just get a little drill and drill it out, fill the hole with a bit of silicon, job done.
Click to expand...

Haha.

Yes, because if you cover up your FaceTime cams when they're not in use that must automatically mean you never use them. And you'll never need your warranty. And you'll never want to sell your used electronics either.

Drill, baby, drill!
 
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