# Am I paranoid? Re: laptop camera **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352 "2018-10-22T21:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/1 "2018-10-22T21:00:00Z")
Okay, guys, this was strange. Last night I had an itchy, itchy eye. I sat in front of my laptop, rubbing it and weeping. This morning I went into some of the usual sites and got drop-down ads for…eye drops. Now it is not unusual for me to get linked ads to things I’ve been googling. It’s annoying, when I’ve just bought something online or posted a review, to get ads for the same thing–hey guys, I’ve already bought this–but it wasn’t particulary scary. This eye drop thing? Freaked me out. I mean, what are the odds? I was not googling eye drops, because I have eye drops. I was merely sitting in front of my computer with an itchy eye. I didn’t accidentally fat-finger an eye-drop ad either, because I’ve never seen one before. I also know that OK Google can hear everything I say (for instance even if I don’t have google on my phone at the moment if I say “OK Google” it comes up) but that it doesn’t pay attention to everything I say but only certain words (much like my dog). BUT, I did not say that my eye was itchy. I didn’t say anything. So, coincidence? Or is Big Data actually watching me on my laptop? (I now have a piece of tape on the camera. Is that enough?) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/2 "2018-10-22T21:07:19Z")
If this is true, I must be having religious fears. I get a lot of free bible ads. Just saying. No, tape won’t do it. They are in your head. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/3 "2018-10-22T21:09:54Z")
Probably just a coincidence and an example of the [Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon](https://www.damninteresting.com/the-baader-meinhof-phenomenon/) (aka Frequency Illusion…where you start noticing things that seem to weirdly coincide with something you recently saw/did). Still, if you are worried you can buy a [cheap camera cover](https://www.amazon.com/C-Slide-Sliding-Computers-Chromebooks-Consoles/dp/B00AZ639VG) for your laptop (or just tape some paper over it yourself). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/4 "2018-10-22T21:13:07Z")
Did you talk about your eye (even if you were just muttering it to yourself). You mentioned OK Google, but I still firmly believe that google is listening and using what it hears for ads and suggestions. Far too often, I can be talking about something that I’ve never looked up on any device and google will auto fill exactly what I’m looking for based on the first letter I type. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/5 "2018-10-22T21:58:07Z")
It would take enormous amount of resources for an AI (or a real human) to monitor you like that and mind read based off you rubbing your eye. More than they could possibly make by hawking you eye drops. It’s a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/6 "2018-10-22T22:03:44Z")
Yeah, seriously, who has time to sit around spying on everyone’s whim or thought? Who’s got that kind of resources or will power? OTOH, if I win powerball, I will. (dun, dun dun!) ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/7 "2018-10-22T22:04:26Z")
You can see specifically what audio of yours Google has at [https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity?restrict=vaa](https://myactivity.google.com/myactivity?restrict=vaa) (and you can delete some or all of it there if you are concerned about it). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/8 "2018-10-22T22:14:55Z")
Any chance you and several million other people are allergic to [ragweed?](https://www.webmd.com/allergies/fall-allergy-relief#1) ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/9 "2018-10-22T22:30:22Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Any chance you and several million other people are allergic to [ragweed?](https://www.webmd.com/allergies/fall-allergy-relief#1) Ah…well I feel a little better now! 'Tis the season. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2018, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/10 "2018-10-22T22:40:46Z")
You can really worry when your computer tells you to remove the f\*\*king tape from its camera. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/11 "2018-10-23T00:15:21Z")
Last January I went to my oncologist to get the results of my bone scan. It appears my cancer has metastasized. The doctor couldn’t really say what my prognosis was though it is in the years range based on current techniques. On my way out to the car, I got a cell phone call offering me a burial plot. (I’d never had one of those before.) I was really freaked out. Then I realized I was carrying my wife’s cell phone that day – so if they are good, they are very, very good. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/12 "2018-10-23T00:27:22Z")
My brother freaked out when anti virus software (free avast) turned on camera showing himself in front of laptop with notice that basically went “anyone can see you, if you not upgrade your anti virus to full license”. I found it both mildly funny and bizarre to an extend. He has his camera now eyepatched. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/13 "2018-10-23T02:07:47Z")
> [@yo\_han\_go](#): > > My brother freaked out when anti virus software (free avast) turned on camera showing himself in front of laptop with notice that basically went “anyone can see you, if you not upgrade your anti virus to full license”. I found it both mildly funny and bizarre to an extend. He has his camera now eyepatched. You know, I remember seeing both James Comey and Mark Zuckerberg interviewed, and their laptop computers had tape over the camera lens. I thought those guys just might know something I don’t, and since I don’t use my webcam, I followed suit. If I need to Skype someone, I can remove it easily. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/14 "2018-10-23T02:49:26Z")
I bought a Dell all in one a few months ago. The built in camera is on a little pop up piece that drops down into the frame when the camera’s not in use. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/15 "2018-10-23T21:25:20Z")
My nephew reassured everyone that computers can’t be spying on us very effectively based on the number of ads he gets offering to hook him up with the Hot Single Ladeez in his area. He’s gay. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/16 "2018-10-24T01:17:20Z")
What the heck? Have you people never heard of ad-blockers? I can’t imagine how anyone could stand browsing without[uBlock origin](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/17 "2018-10-24T02:12:44Z")
No tape over my camera. I pity the poor bastard who stumbles across my slack-jawed mopey face as I pull up MPSIMS for the 20th time that day. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/18 "2018-10-24T02:20:45Z")
I consulted with my dermatologist in person about removing some benign lesions. The next day, I received a spam email for cheap lesion removal. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-paranoid-re-laptop-camera/823352/19 "2018-10-24T09:14:38Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Last January I went to my oncologist to get the results of my bone scan. It appears my cancer has metastasized. The doctor couldn’t really say what my prognosis was though it is in the years range based on current techniques. > > On my way out to the car, I got a cell phone call offering me a burial plot. (I’d never had one of those before.) I was really freaked out. Then I realized I was carrying my wife’s cell phone that day – so if they are good, they are very, very good. The camera thing is not presently an advertising issue. Just a possible privacy issue. But google does know about your location, and your friends and family. I haven’t got any advertisements for itchy eye relief: I’m not in a location where that is presently relevant. … It is not entirely outside the bounds of belief that google has decided that phones that hang out around oncologists are targets for funeral plots. You and your family have my sympathy.