Is it really worth it to hide your computer’s webcam? These are the myth busting experts

2024-07-24 11:55:10

Is this the current trend as effective as you think? Experts have looked into the question.

If you have a webcam, chances are you’ve already decided to cover it when it’s not in use. Such a device capable of watching us or even filming us may raise some well-founded fears. Who hasn’t seen, in a movie or series, a situation where a webcam is used by hackers or malicious people to film other people without their knowledge?

These fears are quick to trigger a safety reaction among people equipped with webcams. Generally all you need is a small piece of paper with tape placed in front of your webcam lens to reassure yourself and make sure the latter is not being used for nefarious purposes. But is this technique, almost as old as the machine itself, really useful? Many experts have looked at the question.

According to them, hiding your webcam lens is not really useful, but above all it allows you to be sure of yourself. John Young, vice president of the Vantage Technology Consulting group for more than 10 years, explains specifically that he made the same move for this reason: “People who keep their webcam lens on do so because they sometimes forget to turn it off.” The expert even added that some people may have multiple webcams and want to block their default view if they don’t activate the one they want.

Nizel Adams, CEO of tech company Nizel Corp, also explains that hiding your webcam is more of a threat than a real preventative measure: “I understand the paranoia. But if you’ve taken precautions, the chances of someone hacking you to notice you are close to zero.”

The expert explains clearly that, if you are the victim of a security breach, the hacker responsible will still end up getting what they want. If your pictures are interesting to you, the hacker will be the first to get your personal and banking data above all. In addition, some webcams may be equipped with a microphone that you may not be able to store with a stick and tape.

In order to protect yourself effectively, it is advisable to pay attention to the links you click on while browsing the internet as well as the data you share. If you’re really scared of your webcam, remember to unplug it when you’re not using it!