zlacker

The first Apple iSight cameras, back in the days of Firewire, had this nifty mechanical iris that covered the lens. A twist of the bezel ring and it opened, another and it closed.

Granted, just that feature was 6 times the volume of a modern webcam and probably three times the cost, but it did perfectly address people's discomfort with the eye staring at them.

For some reason, the ear listening to them doesn't seem to evoke the same reaction. I don't know anyone that tries to deafen their microphone.

>>jws+(OP)
All it takes is a toothpick.

>>jws+(OP)
Exactly, microphone provides much more useful information and requires similar permissions. Not many people seem to be unsoldering them.

Regarding webcam, led is OK, but it shouldn't be driven by some firmware, it should be a simple circuit - when there is a voltage on the camera Vdd, the led is on. I don't know how it is with the newest macbooks and if the led is still hackable.

>>jws+(OP)
And then there's the accelerometer ;)

>>jws+(OP)
The old Sparc pizza boxes had a physical switch on their external microphones as well.

>>jws+(OP)
People don't react the same to audio because when we got on a call, audio is presumed to be on, while we may not be prepared or video. And when we're not on a call, chances of being caught saying something embarrassing is lower than chances of being caught in an embarrassing state of undress etc.

>>jws+(OP)
Early SGI cameras had a physical lens cover, too. I wish that were still the norm, although I certainly see how hard it'd be to build into the frame of a thin laptop.