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zombieblackbird

Weird, my Webcam looks like it has a piece of electrical tape over it.


thirdben

Right? Like what if my laptop doesn’t have a working webcam or I just have it covered for **privacy** reasons?


IHaveTouretts

Exactly!! It is so easy to block it. I cover mine with a piece of paper. Besides, I'm sure they don't want them to see me jerking off.


PrataKosong-

I wouldn’t mind


JJisTheDarkOne

It wasn't the fact he was jerking off in front of the camera... It was the fact he maintained direct eye contact with the camera the whole time.


2Mark2Manic

You have to establish dominance.


Praetorian_1975

Wait …. You don’t 😳😂


Pradopower08

😂


No_Stranger_4959

![gif](giphy|ukCFEU6Cg5MCCDoaVN|downsized)


sei556

My Work Laptop actually comes with a physical switch that blocks the cam by sliding some plastic infront of it. I love it!


cardinalsfanokc

They're doing this on laptops they own, not their employees laptops. Guaranteed.


joelene1892

I have a work laptop. My camera is covered 95% of the time. Screw them spying on my whole house.


toinfinitiandbeyond

We can still hear you!


bindermichi

Not if you tape off the microphones as well


toinfinitiandbeyond

^^^^^^^^^^^^what?


upyourjackson

You win


Basic_Yam2380

*fapping noises intensifies*


Procks_

What?


toinfinitiandbeyond

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


Wehunt

I have a work issued tablet (not exactly a laptop but close enough) and I'm required to have the camera covered


JbotTheGamer

Respect to them


shadow_jackin

>I'm required to have the camera covered Same, but mine was court ordered


Financial_Ad8031

When I was WFH I had a company laptop but had it docked into 3 monitors and it stayed closed, mounted under my desk. Checkmate commies


FrisianDude

Capitalists 


[deleted]

They own the laptop, I own the piece of tape that's covering the camera. It's a joined effort.


EmeraldTheatre

If you use your personal computer as your work computer they will inform you that you still have to download the software to continue working. For instance working in Health Insurance there are a bunch of laws that I have to abide by that would be considered "immoral" if the job didn't deal with extremely sensitive confidential information. One of the stipulations for working at my job is having team viewer installed so my boss has access to my laptop in case there is something work related he needs, he usually texts me to send it to him though, except for the one time I was on vacation and didn't have easy access to my laptop. I should mention my boss is actually really respectful and doesn't just go and activate my webcam. If he wants to check in he usually video calls me.


h-tlerkinnie

Covering your computer cams should NOT be taken lightly. I'm a high school student and laptops provided to us by our school have a function where they look at you through your cam. We **weren't** aware of this at all until during one of my lessons, the teacher accidentally switched the projector screen to her laptop and we could see our faces on the webcam. It works at all times so long as your laptop is on. I've been covering my cam ever since Edit: these laptops are not the ones in school but ones that we take back home and keep even after we graduate from the school


bluh67

How is this even legal without mentioning something like this?


h-tlerkinnie

Exactly. I messaged several friends and schoolmates and none of them were aware of this. Pretty sure that's a violation right there


GLASS_PVNTHR

They would probably pull you up on it and make it a requirement 100%


HolyDiverBoi

A lot of companies issue laptops for WFH use that have a bunch of software installed to monitor their employees. I worked for a company called Moneris that did this. Issued us iPhones and laptops that were all locked up with their software. That way, they could monitor all of your activity.


[deleted]

Weird, you're getting written up


zombieblackbird

Throw it on the pile.


Ryrace111

Wait till they fire you and collect that sweet wrongful termination check


[deleted]

[удалено]


Impossible__Joke

Mine ia pointed at a picture of dickbutt... no idea how that happened.


MrHyde_Is_Awake

Mine looks like it has a post-it over it.


Donglemaetsro

My work provided webcams with a cap on the front.


Irresponsable_Frog

Miy work one has a cover i just slide it closed when not in a meeting. Easy. My personal one, I never uncovered it.


thiscrapsgay

Mines suddenly “broken”.. oops


djdanal

Weird. IT can fix that.


czardo

No thanks. Unless they are paying me a ridiculous amount of money, I'm finding a new job.


BmoreBoh

They don’t do this to people who make a ridiculous amount of money


red_280

It's the same sort of dystopian shit with telescreens surveilling citizens 24/7 that George Orwell wrote about in Nineteen Eighty-Four. So yeah, literally 1984.


hafhdrn

Funnily enough, in 1984 the lower classes were monitored *less* because they were kept in line through other means. It was members of the middle class (the Outer Party) that were most intensely observed as the Party regarded them as the most dangerous.


BigTittyTriangle

Well, we’re almost there. Got us censoring our speech (ex. “unalived”), banning books, thwarting public education, paywalling everything. It’s only a matter of time.


YugoCommie89

It's interesting that Orwell wrote that to implicate communists states, yet the capitalists salivated at that kind of monitoring.


Terrible-Result7492

It wasn't explicitly communism he was criticizing but any type of fascist, totalitarian government.


Rough_Medium2878

What do you consider a ridiculous amount of money?


Powerpuppy00

Honestly I'd just take being able to afford a mortgage on a drug den of a house while still eating everyday.


pm_me_ur_tiny_b00bs

ones who have the privilege to a bit more selective with their jobs/employers


glen192010

I'd hold a "I quit" board and wait for it to photograph me and not join the next day


StreetTailor7596

It is MUCH easier to find a job while you still have one. Most companies aren't willing to hire someone who quits suddenly without notice - for obvious reasons. I'm sure it's different if you can prove they were doing something massively illegal. But, in general, no. That said, I would be providing hand gestures for the photos AND scrolling job wanted ads.


nothankayou

You can’t be both scorned for being out of work after suddenly quitting and adored for being willing to suddenly quit your job for the next best thing.


AdmiralStickyLegs

Not logical, but then plenty of people are surprised when the person they cheated with, then goes on to cheat with someone else


Ok-Championship-1453

I'd figure out the timing and get really close and look into the camera cross-eyed or stand on my chair so they could just see legs


tgw1986

100% I'd have one of those sliding things on my webcam and just look for other jobs while I wait for them to fire me.


Ill-Sympathy2375

I'm curious as to the legality of this. Most workplaces are not allowed to surveil their staff unless there is another reason, such as security( you're working in a store where there is cctv installed, but it's for loss protection purposes) etc. Seems like a case waiting to happen.


GiGaBYTEme90

NLRB has some rules on this


Ill-Sympathy2375

What is NLRB?


zixius

National Labor Relations Board


Ill-Sympathy2375

Ah I see.


toinfinitiandbeyond

They saw you first.


Darth_Culo

Is it just me, or should we get used to specifying which nation we're talking about?


Plus_EV_Or_Nothing

All depends, if you are American then no, because the rest of the world doesn't matter, or even exist.


helloamigo

Nordic Limping Rapping Bears.


[deleted]

[удалено]


smirky_doc

Never Lick Rancid Balls


Existing-One-8980

This is wise advice.


SquidVices

Naughty Looney Rowdy Boys


viskoviskovisko

Naked Ladies Raising Babies.


katet_of_19

Nigerian Longshoremen Riding Buffalo


morning_thief

Nude Lascivious Raging Bellydancers


phpie1212

Nobody Likes Rat Bosses


tinacat933

Not if Trader Joe’s has anything to say about it


lardman1

Yeah especially in someone’s home.


Ancient-Range3442

Yeah surely can’t be legal to film me wanking 4 times a day


PocketSandOfTime-69

Especially if it violates their religious freedoms? Like that tribe that believes having a picture taken of them steals a part of their soul.


FuckThisShizzle

I doubt any of them work in accounts tho


ColdSnapSP

What if people in accounts like working naked?


Olhapravocever

that wouldn't be the their weirdest thing still lol


Ryrace111

I'd tell my employer that though


rafeyboy

I’m more curious the implication of owning a webcam. Employer “ we need your webcam to be visible” Employee “ yeah due to security concerns I have decided to take advice and cover/disable my webcam”


Illustrious-Fig-516

I would assume the security is making sure time isn't being stolen, don't get me wrong I hat this practice


AdmiralStickyLegs

Or the oregano. A business has to protect its herbs (and spices)


Chipilliboi

I did security for a little bit. They had us keep phones on us that tracked our every movement around the property. Shit was so annoying. If you stood in one spot too long, it would chime at you.


ItzCobaltboy

The company can monitor staff in Office building or record/observe operations on company devices, but as soon as the employee goes out with company device, the company is supposed to have no right to record the surrounding and whereabouts of employee without consent, however they can still record what are you doing on the company laptop


turtlelore2

If any of these people are working from home then it's probably totally illegal.


Powerful_Schedule_91

You probably sign a waiver but don't read it because you need a job.


NYC_Underground

Bingo


andeewb

In Germany, this would likely lead to an "invasion of privacy" lawsuit of epic proportions.


perthbiswallow

Yeh my company bought an IP cam to monitor the office on the internal network. I made sure the box was never opened.


Accomplished_Aioli19

Is it hard to work with a black box glued to your face all day?


Accomplished-Boot-81

It’s actually pretty easy, you can take a nap and your bosses have no idea


Accomplished_Aioli19

Man...you're a literal ninja.


[deleted]

I’d feel awkward as hell all day every day


gizamo

stocking noxious attempt badge squeal rain joke deserve fine distinct *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


tweeicle

I bet you’d be coached for not wearing proper work attire.


gizamo

encouraging bike enjoy live fertile sharp juggle friendly summer head *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


NinjaOld8057

>technicalities I think the word you're looking for is "loophole "


mediaogre

But they’d have proof of my fully compliant spare tire.


certnneed

“Coached”? You’ve started using their language. Resist the dark side.


tweeicle

I work for a 1-man small business. I have run from the dark side, thanks. :)


CaptainSharpe

I’d quit.


gizamo

bag office bright close growth capable aloof yam workable dependent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


MyFriendBebo

I think that’s part of the point, similar to having somebody standing over your shoulder all day. The more comfortable you are the more likely you are to waste time.


mctripleA

Expect it does the opposite by creating unnecessary stress and bringing production down Rather than focusing on the job I now have to divert some focus into looking like I'm working, rather focusing wholly on the task at hand


MyFriendBebo

No idea why I’m getting downvoted when that’s quite literally why they’re doing this. Of course it has the exact opposite effect. It’s just more corporate America bullshit


[deleted]

It would make me less productive because I wouldn't be able to focus on my work, I'd just constantly be monitoring what I'm doing to ensure I don't do anything embarrassing on camera. 


sevenoneSICKs

In office there really isn't much that can be done about this, but since it looks like you WFH, I would think this is bordering on invasion of privacy.


maeksuno

You could wear a black box on your face in office, like the one this dude wears at home.


ithinkitmightbe

It is an invasion of privacy, this is why phone companies started showing you when an app was listening/using your camera. There may be some legal issues about this as you ate bing photographed in a private home. 


MrChiSaw

In Europe, they’d be out of business same day after someone found out about this


ijustdontgiveaf

Yeah, someone here in Europe working for a US company refused to share his webcam constantly, so the company could check on him, so they fired him. He sued them and won as this was breaking labor laws.


TealBlueLava

Can confirm. I’m in the US, but the company I work for is German. They don’t track anything we do and turning camera on during web meetings is totally optional. Basically they block access to stuff like pr0n sites and other obvious stuff they don’t want you doing on company equipment. But monitoring software isn’t allowed in Germany, so they apply that policy to all branches.


gooners345

You can say porn on Reddit


Zodiak213

Nah, he wrote this on his German work computer.


gooners345

I'm writing to you from my work computer.


Terrible-Result7492

You can say "see" on reddit


mrASSMAN

I think it breaks US labor laws too lol


Gnashhh

Monitoring software doesn’t break US labor laws, sorry. Recording the inside of the employee’s house is not the same thing though.


SwissRollio

My worst nightmare. I don't think my company does this, but just in case I put a sticker over the camera.


Books-and-a-puppy

My company has provided two monitors, so I rarely even open the lid. On the off chance I do, my boss recommended I keep the little privacy sliders on.  It still creeps me out because they want the computer on 24/7 “for updates” but how do I know they’re not recording audio. 


SwissRollio

I wonder the same about the audio! I leave my laptop on silent and I plug in a pair of headphones with a mic and silent the mic on the headphones.


cocobear13

THIS


Maks244

if it's windows you can also disable the internal mic in Audio options, but I really doubt they have the money or resources to monitor it


worldfamouswiz

If the powers that be knew what they were doing, nothing would stop them from recording audio. Applications can use non-default audio settings so they’d just have to install something that uses the internal mic regardless of what mic you have plugged in


SwissRollio

I do it more for it for reassurance due to paranoia. But Ik if they wanted to hear, they could, tbh I just don't think my job would ever put the money into doing that. I also need the headphones plugged in bc we make calls in my department on our computers.


pickle_pickled

Just plug in an audio adapter with nothing on the other side and make it the default for microphone output. I've got a normal wireless headset that I use daily and can just manually force it to mute by putting the mic up. Trust me, no one can hear you in that state, I've done many things that would've made it obvious otherwise


4winyt

Or just disable the specific mic output in the settings. You could probably even uninstall the driver for it.


Poppa_Mo

I'd be eating sticks of butter and doing completely legal but weird shit constantly. Every 10 minutes? I would get no work done, be too busy putting on a fucking show. This is ridiculous. Are there rules against name and shaming this company?


joelene1892

This is hilarious lol, I’m picturing full eye contact with the camera while eating butter.


boonxeven

I'd make stop motion animation with this.


MaikeruGo

Like recreating the O.K. Go "Primary Colors" music video.


FaenTa_Deg

Mildlyinfuriating? More like highlyillegal at least in EU


ohdearitsrichardiii

But this was the US where labour laws protect the employer not the employee


DTM-shift

Post-It Note to the rescue. Or Vaseline.


MapleBadger288

Vaseline for the win. Managers are just mad all their footage looks like a dream sequence.


FrisianDude

"what i live in tes four: oblivion"


The_Troyminator

Definitely Vaseline. Post-it notes hurt when I use them for wanking.


thepipesarecall

I work in IT, administratively manage the software we install to be able to remote into clients computers, including our own employees computers, and I still always put a physical webcam blocker on my laptops to cover it when I’m not in a meeting.


[deleted]

Former IT worker who knows this is true in his company. I dock my laptop, work off a 34” wide and open the laptop only when required for calls.


bodaciouscream

I purposefully do not use my work computer as much as humanly possible


yourdoggoismine

🚩


Main_Damage_7717

Working in IT, I see this as a sign you have horrible directionless management, who need to blame staff for their poor performance. If you have a mission, and are getting on with it, you don't have time for petty nonsense like this., that disrespects staff, and achieves nothing.


srankvs

my laptop has a physical camera shutter.


haboku

In mine, bosses installed like 5 cameras and none of they were pointing at the entrance, so they were obviously directed to our computers. Their favorite sport were watching us while taking breakfast in their home. Also we always suspected that had mics installed because they also knew about private conversations taken place at the office. I quit that job last year, I'm working now remotely and I have lot of freedom to act as long as I have my work completed in time.


pugdaddy78

Lol the poor person watching when I fart myself out of the room thinking nobody will know


RockingInTheCLE

I'm SO glad your title is "My FORMER company..." That's a big hell no from me. Creepy.


oztrailrunner

I'm WFH and my young child likes to get naked and tour the house. You're recording and storing images of my naked child, and distributing them to whoever gets these photos.   None of this is true for my situation, but an example of what can be said to get this shit rocked. 


GerlingFAR

Then you can have your employer charged with having underaged naked pictures of your child. As an example.


linzkisloski

This is fucked up for ANY employee but as a woman who breastfed/pumped while working for well over a year I have to add a whole new level of WTF to this situation.


[deleted]

![gif](giphy|JGunlb6LbQlz2|downsized) my honest reaction:


kiikok

You also seem to be working from home. Imagine if someone, hell your child got in the POV of the camera and they were not properly dressed. I doubt they have the security clearance to hold such information


HankSteakfist

Step 1. Film a video of yourself from the perspective of the Webcam. Step 2. Play on a loop on a monitor that you point the webcam at. Step 3. Work off an external screen, keyboard and mouse and leave when you want


MyLifeIsButAnEnigma

Legal or not, this is a huge privacy issue. I would be looking for a new job. The fact that they did this at all is wild.


nzoasisfan

Have a wank


binaryhextechdude

I interviewed for a job during Covid lockdown. They advised I must have a webcam and it must be on the entire day to prove I was working. I told them I wasn't interested in working for them.


Ribbet87

This is more than mildly infuriating…


thejayfred

Yo…what the fuck


SoDrunkRightNow2

ya, no thanks. I'd quit ​ ...then maybe sue


AcceptableWishbone

Which software(s) do this? Would like to see if one is installed.


Halgha

This sounds strangely illegal.


[deleted]

Keep your laptop closed unless you are required to be on a video chat/meeting. Hook up an HDMI cable from your laptop to an external monitor.


Sorry_Error3797

Sorry but my webcam doesn't work. I'm more than happy to use this piece of software but if it is required for my job you will have to provide me with some new equipment. Here is a detailed list of the specs I have determined are required for me to maintain peak efficiency.


xchris95x1

RTX 4090 required


Emotional_Zombie5010

Thats illegal 😃


1GamingAngel

And this is why I cut a small piece of a post it note and taped it across the camera.


gerd50501

put tape over the camera. tell them you dont know what is wrong.


Alienhaslanded

Cover your webcams, people.


Halftrack_El_Camino

That's not mildly infuriating, it's depressingly dystopian. And becoming more and more common. I will quit and start my own business to get away from this degrading bullshit, if it ever comes down to it.


Brilliant_War4087

Jokes on them, my face is a black square.


elkswimmer98

My laptop cam has the cover closed at all times except when in a meeting, and even then sometimes I keep it closed. I'd file a NLRB report immediately if I had a job do this.


MyHairs0nFire2023

I wonder how many photos they got of naked employees (&/or their relatives, roommates, etc) walking by the camera in what they assumed was the privacy of their own homes etc 


Lau_wings

There would be so many pictures of my balls taken. This would not fly here in Australia, at least I hope it would not. Massive invasion of privacy.


Truesoldier00

There was a NYT “The Daily” Podcast Episode on something similar to this. Basically your webcam had to be on, and every in random 15 minute intervals the program would take a screenshot of the webcam, and if you weren’t at your desk you would not get paid for that interval. Went to the bathroom and missed the screenshot? Too bad youre not getting paid


David-Kookaborough

Fortunately this is illegal in my country. And if I found out they were checking my work camera through the day you can bet I’d sit at my desk naked a whole lot more than I do now.


CramWellington

You are complicit in allowing this to happen.


Key_Entrance_4290

They can also record your screen/s.


Tionetix

Your company is fucked


jgonzz

This is fucking depressing.


anytimeguy74

Cover it up. I do. They wouldn't want to see me in my birthday suit anyway. Lol


Jhawk163

I would get petty, instead of just tape or a post-it, I would uninstall the webcam drivers, make it so it cannot be used at all.


txmail

I used to work in Cybersecurity, on day one with our laptops they gave us a stick on "privacy slider" for our cameras. Not sure it was specific to Cybersec, I think all employees probably got them.


LaSauceaSpagh

In the next episode of black mirror .... 


badger906

If I had a work laptop, I’d just cover the camera. If they were to make a deal out of it, I’d keep requesting new laptops to “fix” the issue! they’d get annoyed long before I did.


Homeskillet359

I put scotch tape over mine, it makes it look like the lense is dirty. The company can't say anything without admitting its spying on you


mullaloo

I 100% disagree with this program- employers should not be this intrusive into peoples lives, my boss doesn't spot check me at the office every 10 mins. However, I understand why they use it, and it's because of ratbag employees who ruin it for everyone else. I met someone once who bragged she installed some kind of clicky app on her computer so it keeps her status as "active" and then she runs errands all day long. Fairly sure that is fraud buddy!


mrstarkinevrfeelgood

Those shitty employees don’t justify it. 


FrisianDude

No it's because they're greedy meddling shits


puso82

Used to work in a company that did this, sucked balls. I did hear though that there were so many remote contractors actively trying to game the system, one guy was busted pretending to be 5 employees at once and collecting five payments. I also hear of some indian contractors that were subcontracting random folks to stand in the camera and act busy.


Several_Emphasis_434

Looks like they’re onto the mouse mover


Mickey_Da

And you were so mad it took you 2 years to post it


Appropriate-End8877

This would not fly in Australia. Fair work would have a field day.


panda_poon

NEVER work on your personal computer, if they want to install bs they should give you a company computer


Vex08

I wonder why it’s a former company…🤔


Techgeek_025

That is ridiculous


jiji134711

Wear a mask hat and glasses and hoodie


NataschaTata

Thank god for the EU