FBI advises people to cover their webcams

15/09/2016

James Comey, the Director of FBI, covers his webcam. Physically covering the webcam on his laptop is common sense, and for that reason he wants everyone to follow.

When he was asked in a questions during a conference at the Center for Strategic and International Studies about this issue, he replied:

"There's some sensible things you should be doing, and that's one of them … You do that so that people who don't have authority don’t look at you. I think that's a good thing."

He recommends that all people cover their webcams with tape for security reasons. Comey also revealed that the practice of cam-covering is already common in the FBI and other government offices.

"It's not crazy that the FBI director cares about personal security as well," he added. "If you go into any government office, we all have our little camera things that sit on top of the screen, they all have a little lid that closes down on them."

FBI - CSIS

People should "take responsibility for their own safety and security," he said.

FBI and other government agencies have been at war with tech companies in pursuit of user data. Many people who have been listening to cybercrime and tech news would probably be covering their webcams for that reason for years now. And it's a surprise to hear that even a FBI Director do the same thing.

In April 2016, he was mocked on Twitter after he revealed that he uses tape to cover up his laptop to ensure privacy. Speaking at an encryption and privacy Q&A session at Kenyon College at the time, Comey said: "I saw something in the news, so I copied it."

"I put a piece of tape - I have obviously a laptop, personal laptop - I put a piece of tape over the camera."

"Because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera."