Is this now widespread gesture as effective as you think? Experts have looked into the question.
If you have a webcam, chances are you’ve already considered covering it when you’re not using it. Such a device capable of watching or even filming us can raise some well-founded fears. Who hasn’t seen, in a film or series, a scene where a webcam is used by hackers or malicious people to film other people without their knowledge?
These fears quickly triggered a protective reflex among people with webcams. Generally, all it takes is a small piece of paper with tape placed in front of the lens of your webcam to reassure yourself and be certain that it is not being used for malicious purposes. But is this technique, almost as old as the device itself, really useful? Several experts have looked into the question.
According to them, covering your webcam lens is not really useful, but above all allows you to reassure yourself. John Young, vice president of the Vantage Technology Consulting group for more than 10 years, explains that he made the same gesture for this reason: “People who cover their webcam lens do so because they sometimes forget to turn it off.” The expert even adds that some people may have multiple webcams and prefer to block their default view in case they don’t activate the one they want.
Nizel Adams, CEO of technology company Nizel Corp, also explains that covering your webcam is more of a fear than a preventative measure: “I understand the paranoia. But if you’re already taking precautions, the chances of someone hacking you to observe you are very close to zero.”
The expert explains that if you are the victim of a security breach, the hacker responsible will still end up getting what he wants. While images of you may potentially interest him, the hacker will mainly seek to obtain your personal and banking data above all. In addition, some webcams may be equipped with a microphone that you might not be able to hide with a piece of paper and tape.
In order to protect yourself more effectively, it is rather advisable to pay attention to the links you click on while browsing the internet as well as the data you share. If you are really afraid of your webcam, remember to unplug it when you are not using it!