Fixed with some epoxy and a sewing needle

[AZRedhawk44]

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/04/they-can-hear-you-now-verizon-patent-listens-in-on-customers/

Dayum.  Is it wrong to idly wish for the people that dream this stuff up to suffer a freak boating accident?

FierceCable first publicized the Verizon patent that gives examples of the DVR’s acute sensitivity in customers’ living rooms: argument sounds prompt ads for marriage counseling, and sounds of “cuddling” prompt ads for contraceptives.

Who the heck is going to buy this?  Who wants a DVR that is deliberately built to give you more commercials?  It probably has a commercial-compulsion-watching software routine in it, too.  Gotta watch 10 minutes of commercials per hour of TV, or something like that.

Epoxy over cameras, sewing needles and pocket knives to ruin the microphone diaphragms.

Yuck.

[makattak]

... a box in your home that can see and hear you?


Gee... that seems vaguely familiar. Like from a book, or something.

I think I'll go ask my big brother if he remembers.

[Stand_watie]

I've got duct tape over the camera on my netbook. Not that anyone would want to see me, but I trust not the virii...

[zxcvbob]

Reminds me of a scene from The Kentucky Fried Movie.

[Hutch]

Reminds me of a scene from The Kentucky Fried Movie.

I remember that one well.

[Hawkmoon]

I've got duct tape over the camera on my netbook.

Why? I just turned mine off.

[longeyes]

Turning it off is punishable by death, didn't you get the memo?

[kgbsquirrel]

Why? I just turned mine off.

If cell and satellite phones can be turned on remotely without any outward sign, how difficult do you think it would be with a laptop camera?

[roo_ster]

If cell and satellite phones can be turned on remotely without any outward sign, how difficult do you think it would be with a laptop camera?

Didn't we have a  discussion about this sort of thing being done by a school district and the district's de facto immunity to kiddie porn across the wires laws?

[zxcvbob]

Didn't we have a  discussion about this sort of thing being done by a school district and the district's de facto immunity to kiddie porn across the wires laws?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbins_v._Lower_Merion_School_District

[Ron]

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/04/they-can-hear-you-now-verizon-patent-listens-in-on-customers/



Who the heck is going to buy this?  Who wants a DVR that is deliberately built to give you more commercials? 
Yuck.

It will be standard equipment in all family rooms, living rooms and bedrooms soon.

As soon as sis and her guy leave my house I will be disconnected from the web and satellite TV.

I'll probably be more productive not having easy access to this place.

[RoadKingLarry]

It wasn't that long ago that automobile data recorders/ODBII were a novelty and mostly for the benefit of the dealer and mechanic. Now NHTSA is mandating it on all new cars with standardized parameters to be recorded.
It isn't too far of a stretch to imagine safety stops not unlike the current "acceptable" DUI checkpoints where "they" will be able to do a quick scan of your vehicles data recorder and ticket you for recorded transgressions.
Got kids in the house and watch "inappropriate" programing with children present and get a visit from child protective services.

[Cliffh]

The current issue of Popular Mechanics contains an article titled "Who's spying on you?".  There's quite a bit of info on who's tracking who and how, but - of course - very little info on how to stop it.

[Declaration Day]

I've got duct tape over the camera on my netbook. Not that anyone would want to see me, but I trust not the virii...

I have a piece of electrical tape over mine.  I did catch a virus that activated the camera.  It was a scam that tried to convince me that I was being fined by the FBI for pirated material, and I was instructed to pay the fine via Western Union  .