Re: [PLUG] slightly off topic, possible privacy issues with JavaScript

JP, this is actually a brilliant idea, we should consider encouraging manufacturers to build devices with physical switches, for camera, mic, wireless, and bluetooth. This is purely opinion, but I think this is necessary for modern privacy.

Thank you for the link, this is interesting.

Michael Lazin

.. τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ νοεῖν ἐστίν τε καὶ εἶναι.

On Sat, Jul 31, 2021 at 5:43 PM JP Vossen via plug <plug@lists.phillylinux.org> wrote:

On 7/29/21 10:53 AM, Martin Cracauer via plug wrote:
> Well, either way, the microphone should have a LED like the camera
> does. That would be an improvement.
>
> And the LED should be in-line with the power circuit for the camera or
> microphone, so that it is physically impossible to activate without
> the LED turning on. Right now it is a software-controlled LED, so as
> soon as you are root you can watch/listen while keeping the LED off.
>
> I'm not sure how that mixes with always-on microphones for today's
> smartphone services ("OK Google" etc), but I would like to have an
> option to turn that off in the first place.
>
> Permissions for apps or websites are nice, but domain names and apps
> get sold to bad actors, and that is not rare. They can re-use
> permissions given to the original good actor. LED or nuffing.
>
> /rant
Forget about the LED, I want a physical power switch for the camera and mic. Some phones do have them, e.g., https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/09/purisms-librem-5-phone-starts-shipping-a-fully-open-gnulinux-phone/.

Later,
JP
-- -------------------------------------------------------------------
JP Vossen, CISSP | http://www.jpsdomain.org/ | http://bashcookbook.com/
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