Ask HN: Is it reasonable to cover your webCam?

A lot of webcams have a hardware LED (ie when the camera the powered the LED goes on because on the current path).

Some have it software controlled (either firmware or driver).

The first ones are pretty safe since you know when they're in use and the notification is mostly unbypassable.

The other thing is that one rarely get interesting data through the webcam thus access to the webcam is generally no something people are looking for when running large scale attacks (for targetted attacks this is different).

Also... a piece of tape is nicer, lighter, more convenient and infinitely cheaper than a 3d printed shape :/

Your problem isn't that covering your WebCam isn't a good idea (it is). It's that there's little market for a solution -- electrical, scotch, gaffer, duct, or other tape works just fine. A small scrap of paper or Post-It will keep adhesive from marring the lens. That's a $0.01 solution I doubt you could ever hope to compete with (though I hear suckers are born on an aggressive schedule).

That said, from a design perspective, I'd very much prefer that devices (laptops, desktops, tablets, phones, monitors, etc.) offered:

1. Hardware indicators of activation of media inputs: camera, microphones, etc.

2. Physical covers or switches to activate/deactivate these. My Thinkpad has a physical switch to activate the WiFi transmitter, but there's no shutter for the camera (I've seen slider doors on some devices), nor can the mic circuits be toggled by a physical control (though I can set my mixer settings via software).

Edit: But see comments elsewhere: stickers which explicitly convey a message about security/privacy and cover lenses could be an interesting angle. Much lower cost, fad/awareness appeal. Possibly even a tie-in with privacy groups (e.g., EFF, etc.). Good schwag.

Why would i buy a cover when I have all this electrical tape just sitting around?

Yes, if an hijacker got as far as the webcam, it's safe to assume they have access to everything else in your computer. But most webcams have a light to tell you if its being used, other dangers are keyloggers, and how they can be used to steal credit card information/bank loggin info.

If someone has unrestricted access to your PC webcam, they probably have unrestricted access to all of your PC. You already will be keylogged, and risk losing usernames and passwords.

This is already probably a lot worse than a few photos of yourself staring at a screen being leaked.

> Even if your device is turned off, even if your device is offline, it is possible for hackers to take your images.

Really? Fear-mongering at it's finest.

I don't bother with it personally, although I've seen many people that do put a sticker/bit of tape over it.

One more thing, your landing page isn't really the best. I like the animation of the product in action, but the Instagram-esque filter doesn't look professional at all. Your first paragraph is a full anchor link, and your other paragraphs are broken at random lines which really kills the reading experience. The photo, which I presume is a webcam shot with the product blocker on, isn't actually described at all.

My first two thoughts:

1) Every laptop has a microphone built in that doesn't have an indicator light that you'd have to bypass to surreptitiously record audio. I think that, as far as invasion of privacy/corporate espionage goes, this is scarier than the webcam (which in my case, if someone were to hack it, would be hours of me simply staring into the screen, as my laptop is usually closed when I'm not using it).

2) You should try charging more than $3. To me that's so cheap as to inspire some questions about its quality. At least $5, perhaps $10 would make it seem more legitimate.

Maybe they're fine using a sticker, a sticky note (or Post-its), or even just with unplugging it if they're using an external webcam.

I am currently developing a software solution for this called Webcam Blocker Pro. It's ideal for parents who wish to prevent their children from using the webcam and microphone without their supervision. Once the program is locked, it essentially prevents anyone from using any webcam or microphone attached to the computer, including malware or hackers, unless they have the password.

I think it sounds like it has potential. As you can see from some of the comments here, some folks (the HN crowd) say "why do I need your thing when I have a piece of tape that works fine?". Well, these same people have cool stickers on their Macbook Pro, I'll bet. No functional value, but the stickers make a statement - it's fashion. So, if you can make your cam cover something that looks cool or interesting, or maybe something that makes a "statement", then maybe that's how you market it. Make it a conversation piece.

Remember those stickers from the 90s, "Big Brother Inside" with the intel look-alike logo? Think along those lines.

If I was in the market for a product, I'd buy mine from the EFF. Simple sticker covers the camera, and supports a good group.

https://supporters.eff.org/shop/laptop-camera-cover-set

So there's some competition in the space.

I'd be more worried about my microphone than about my camera.

I tend to worry more about microphones, for which there is seldom an indicator light, and which cannot be shut down by a piece of tape, than cameras. Cameras are visible and you need to be in front of them. Microphones are sneakier and one microphone can record a lot of people at once.

Many security cameras (e.g. in public transport) now have the capability to record sound as well as video.

I stuck some Velcro on my laptop to create a removable, reusable cover. Your product looks much nicer.

Most people don't seem to care about this. Your job is not to convince everyone that they should, but to get your product in front of the people who already do.

I don't really have an opinion on your question, but I'd point out that the relevant question to your business isn't whether it's reasonable for people to cover their camera, but whether you can convince people it's worth purchasing something to use to do so.

I could see that being an uphill battle since a Post-It would work, is free, and is less likely to make most feel like they might be judged as a paranoiac ... or conspicuously like they have something sufficiently unusual to hide that they need to purchase something that most people don't. (Not saying that makes logical sense, just that it makes "marketing sense".)

Yes. But your product might be less convenient than a post-it note/strip of black electrical tape.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/gchq-nsa-webcam...

http://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/1z33wx/uk_spy_age...

I had the same idea a while back. I bought the domain webcamcovers.com. After researching the market for a bit, I came to the realization that people didn't really see the need. Those that understand the potential risk (the HN crowd) choose to use a post-it or tape. Everyone else doesn't give a shit.

I did find there was a potential market. For the domain name. I sold it for a few hundred dollars. So, I've got that going for me ;)

The idea and product are sound – your device seems to have a clear advantage over duck tape and stickers.

However, your site looks like a blog post. Use less copy (like 90% less). The Gif is good. Make it larger and front and center. Make your value proposition in one short sentence in a bold header.

Also, I wonder if my laptop would still close if this were on it. You might want to address that somewhere...

You might find a market with those who use it daily and don't want to be always cutting off new bits of tape and making a growing glue mess. For example foreign students from Asia calling their parents (they all do this and they do it every day), long distance relationships, etc.

People who almost never use their webcam would probably prefer a sticker.

I fold a namecard in half and sit it on top.

My former corp physically removed all webcams from laptops.

I know a lot paranoid about them. Mic too.

Anecdotal evidence: I came across an article that showed Martin Muench (Founder of Finfisher) with his laptop camera covered.

Source: http://www.ringit.com.au/blog/taping-over-prying-eyes-of-web...

I have a webcam on top of my monitor, but since it blends into the bezel and is mostly outside my field of view, I never think about it and don't care.

If I sit in front of a laptop with a black camera against a grey/metal bezel, though, I think about it constantly.

Humans. Weird.

The EFF gives out stickers for this purpose to its donors. You might want to contact them and offer your thing (though I agree with other comments that you're making a solution to a problem that's solved more easily and cheaply in other ways).

Newegg offers USB hubs with individual on/off switches for $6. If someone wanted to 3D print an artistic enclosure for that, to the point where it felt like a nice addition to the desk, that might have a market amongst the security conscious.

Those smart enough to realize that integrated webcams pose a security risk are pragmatic enough to just use a sticker. That said, I think your design is a good one - and doesn't detract too much from the aesthetics of the device.

I'd be much more concerned about the microphone than the webcam.

Very cool, is there options to scale sizing? My webcam is external and I doubt this would suit it. However if it was scaled 2x or even 3x the size, it'd fit perfectly on it.

I toggle executable permissions for the iSight-related drivers

I never seriously considered it until I saw the IT guy covering his at my last job. I still don't, though, which may be irrational or just lazy.

IMO If 'they' are covertly using your webcam you have bigger problems than them catching a glimpse of your naked arse.

Who in his right mind would actually buy a webcam cover? Just find a piece of paper and fold it over. Good Christ.

I cover mine with a post-it note, as do my coworkers. Sorry, but a 3d-printed cover is cmopletely unnecessary.

I saw a product like this once on Shark Tank.

no