Why are there so many damn cameras everywhere now???

[Revi]

Honestly, cameras on your pc/phone is a horrible way to spy. It takes a lot more data to monitor and gives useless information compared to watching what you actually do on your pc/phone. What you do tells them everything about your personal information, habits, opinions, incriminating actions. Cameras tells them how your face looks like and whether or not you're naked..

Just put tape on your laptop cam, problem fixed. But if you're worried about something Orwellian, cameras on your gadgets are probably the least of your worries.

[Nanaboostme]

So, hypothetically, if I cam and put 30 odd surveillance cameras in your house so I could see everything your doing all the time you'd be okay with that?

You've got nothing to hide right?

Cameras in Public Areas, not exclusively private property. Might as well place a cam in your toilet bowl to count how many droppings during your bowel movement. Obviously there's a limit for everything.

[Witchblade77]

OP you sound like Cid from FF7!

There is an advanced technique for blocking all of these GD cameras, its a strip of opaque tape.

this.

I like having a camera on my laptop, it lets me skype with my extended family and friends - whom I don't see very often otherwise, cause distances and all.

and my phone is usually covered or face up so the only thing you see IF you were to spy on me is either darkness of the cover, or my lovely white ceiling. (and laptop camera gets taped over when not in use)

I like my privacy as much as anyone, maybe more so (given that I don't overshare on facebook, have only people I actualy know in RL as friends there etc), but honestly? I'm a lot more bothered by surveillance cameras everywhere on a street then cameras in personal devices. and.. I'm bothered that you can be tracked even with location services turned off, but at the same time... if I get stuck somewhere... it would be nice to have means to be tracked by.

[Krekal]

I noticed that nobody has tried to address your question "Why are there so many - cameras everywhere now?"
If I get to share my thoughts on why, it would be something like this;

For our use
We're a self centered generation and selfies happen to be a popular thing to post in social media, taking pictures of oneself by oneself on most time a mobile device would require a front camera to show how you look so that we can adjust our face to what we think looks best, aka posing. Cameras on laptops are also quite popular and work as a detachable webcam that stationary computer users would have instead. I guess the laptops camera is used to video-chat with, to not only inform the other person in the conversation about your voices tone but expressions too, like hand gestures and facial ones to make the receiver have an easier time interpreting what you're trying to tell them.

For "their" use
I'm not saying that the government or whatever is spying on us but, I've never been a fan of surveillance despite its advantages, I personally feel uncomfortable around cameras or microphones.
Outdoor surveillance
When I went to London I noticed there were a lot of surveillance cameras and got described by many people when I asked why that they're to prevent illegal activity (may it be violence, terrorism, narcotics, whatever I don't care) and that they practically every single place there are people. Not much that you can do about it, I guess.

Not going to write about "their" use from our personal devices cameras, it feels like I'd end up with a conspiracy rant and no fun response :c

Solution ? Buy one without a camera>remove the camera from it>put something over the camera.

People tell me that I act paranoid, I avoid unknown phone calls, never use my correct identity on internet sign ups, plug out my PC's microphone when not using it, never posted an identifying photo of myself on a social media, and I always watch behind me when I'm walking somewhere.

PS: I agree that it does sound kind of sketchy for a person to be overly paranoid about being recorded, but some people can't help it.

[Ghostpanther]

Put a small piece of black tape over it. Problem solved.

[Rekz]

Nothing wrong with cameras everywhere, unless you have a lot to hide or you're overly paranoid. It's being done intentionally as well but for good reasons like preventing crime and corruption

That's wishful thinking my friend. There are government agencies who actually play ping pong with videos obtained illegally through integrated webcams and they certainly get a nice laugh and other forms of entertainment at OUR expense. We are viewed as the plebs or common folk with very little rights to our privacy and that's a fact.

[Nanaboostme]

That's wishful thinking my friend. There are government agencies who actually play ping pong with videos obtained illegally through integrated webcams and they certainly get a nice laugh and other forms of entertainment at OUR expense. We are viewed as the plebs or common folk with very little rights to our privacy and that's a fact.

Were they playing ping pong with Hillary Clinton?

[Rekz]

Put a small piece of black tape over it. Problem solved.

Excellent point here. For those who leave their cameras open on their devices be assured that your camera can and will be accessed to obtain personal information about you.

[Annoying]

plug out my PC's microphone when not using it

Now I get to be "that guy" who gets to inform you that speakers work as a microphone. If "they" are spying on you using your mic port, it's not terribly different to change the port to your speaker port.

[Xandrigity]

I leave a small post it covering the built in camera on my computer. Not that I'm paranoid but I don't want to inadvertently let someone see something I'd rather keep private.

[thatmikeguy]

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that every time a cell phone or a laptop or tv is purchased these days, there's a gd camera on it. I don't mind the cameras that face away from us but who TF orders a camera that faces us on every fqing device we purchase? I don't ever remember anyone asking me if I wanted a GD camera pointed right at my face for every laptop, or cell phone, or tv....do you? WTF is going on with our society?

I'm a bit annoyed by this because there is obviously a cost associated with manufacturing cameras that are pointed right at us for these products that are made. Who TF is subsidizing these costs because it's not me....I never remembered anyone asking me if I wanted a gd camera pointed at my face. It's amazing too cuz whenever I try to uninstall the drivers for the GD camera pointed at my face the drivers reinstall after I reboot the computer.

It goes to show you how society today is taking away our privacy at an alarming rate. They have conditioned the masses to simply ignore the fact that every time we use our laptop or cell phones there is a fqing camera pointed right at our faces and whether or not we think we are able to turn it off,the truth of the matter is we are not able to turn the GD thing off.

This is the world we are head towards. A socialist society where individuals do not have privacy or individual rights and we are being conditioned to think that it is OK for these things to occur. People really need to wake tf up cuz if we keep walking around in this state of denial all the while allowing this sh!t to happen to us, it will be too late when we finally take our heads out our @$$e$.

Rant over....get that GD camera out my face!

It's to prove aliens do not exist, other than my neighbor.

[Rekz]

Now I get to be "that guy" who gets to inform you that speakers work as a microphone. If "they" are spying on you using your mic port, it's not terribly different to change the port to your speaker port.

It's pretty much a no win situation with the amount of mics there are now too. At least we can put some tape over the cameras....speakers and mics are totally different.

- - - Updated - - -

I leave a small post it covering the built in camera on my computer. Not that I'm paranoid but I don't want to inadvertently let someone see something I'd rather keep private.

You're not being paranoid. You're being prudent. The facts are there for anyone who have eyes to see.

[Annoying]

It's pretty much a no win situation with the amount of mics there are now too. At least we can put some tape over the cameras....speakers and mics are totally different.

And we already have confirmed that they are using the mics to gather info. Facebook has admitted it. Oh and that "turn on" thing they show? On by default.

[Longview]

electical tape on all cameras and disconnect microphones you're not using

oh yeah and never install any facebook apps lol

[Noradin]

"laptop has camera on it, omg, the government is spying on me"
What does it matter if it has a camera, if it's never even on, as it sounds like you'd never use it?

Windows 10 is for sure (Cordana).

[MatthewOU2015]

I have 10 cameras around my house.

[Noradin]

cut a piece of thick paper and tape it over the camera lens.

problem solved.

Unfortunately that doesn't work so well on mics, but those are better to hidden and so nobody notices anyway...

[Nanaboostme]

I have 10 cameras around my house.

Damn bro, you filming a reality show?

[darkmankill1]

Its for the new system, its called the "Kinect U" it connects you to your xbox from any location. So now you can play your favorite kinect games while on the go!

[Annoying]

Its for the new system, its called the "Kinect U" it connects you to your xbox from any location. So now you can play your favorite kinect games while on the go!

I believe they renamed it "Genisys".