NewbMacUser
Level 1 (13 points)
Mac OS X

Q: TERRIBLE POSSIBILITY: iPad Cameras Working Without Me Knowing?

Hello everyone, I know that it may seem strange for me to be asking another privacy related question, but this is a serious issue for me. The issue is that there's no way for me to "block" or "disable" or "turn off" the cameras on my iPad Mini 3. I only install apps from the official Apple iOS App Store and I also check the background of particular apps before I install them on my iPad Mini 3.

 

My worry is that I could be being filmed without me even knowing it... How can I set it so that my iPad Mini 3's cameras are 100% disabled?

 

My friend's tablet device has a little black cover that he can use to completely cover the camera so even if the camera was turned on it would just film the black cover.

Mac mini

Posted on Aug 6, 2016 1:33 AM

by bobseufert,Apple recommended
bobseufert bobseufert
Level 6 (13,908 points)
iPad
A:

You can turn the camera off in settings> general> restrictions> camera.

Posted on Aug 6, 2016 3:21 AM

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Q: TERRIBLE POSSIBILITY: iPad Cameras Working Without Me Knowing?

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  • by bobseufert,Apple recommended

    bobseufert bobseufert Aug 6, 2016 3:21 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 6 (13,908 points)
    iPad
    Aug 6, 2016 3:21 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    You can turn the camera off in settings> general> restrictions> camera.

  • by NewbMacUser,

    NewbMacUser NewbMacUser Aug 6, 2016 3:22 AM in response to bobseufert
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2016 3:22 AM in response to bobseufert

    Thanks! I'll try that soon.

     

    Can I disable the microphone as well? Does anyone know why Apple doesn't include some of way of covering up the iPad camera?

  • by bobseufert,

    bobseufert bobseufert Aug 6, 2016 3:46 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 6 (13,908 points)
    iPad
    Aug 6, 2016 3:46 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    You're welcome. You can disable the mic by turning it off where it is used, I can't find just one place. Go to settings> privacy> turn off all the apps there. Then settings> general> Siri> off. And hopefully last is settings> general> keyboard> enable dictation> off.

    My guess why Apple doesn't include a camera cover is because it's not needed. When you use the camera the screen goes live with what the camera is seeing. An instant give away if the camera is on.

  • by Diana.McCall,

    Diana.McCall Diana.McCall Aug 6, 2016 3:58 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 4 (3,989 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 6, 2016 3:58 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    Y'know, when you close the cover and leave the iPad on a table, both cameras are covered, so they'll only see black even if some rogue app was able to use them.

  • by NewbMacUser,

    NewbMacUser NewbMacUser Aug 6, 2016 5:02 AM in response to Diana.McCall
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2016 5:02 AM in response to Diana.McCall

    Your help is appreciated!

     

    Is it possible to disable the built-in mic and cameras at a more "hardware level" because couldn't an app just re-enable the camera if it needed to use it?

     

    My fear came about when I was reading a story of how an app developer was giving out a free app, BUT the app would record the user without the user's permission and send the photos/videos/audio back to the app developer via the internet... Isn't this possible with an iPad app that was purchased from the iOS App Store???

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 6, 2016 5:05 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 9 (50,704 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 6, 2016 5:05 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    Close the cover and lay it face down, then no-one can see you

  • by NewbMacUser,

    NewbMacUser NewbMacUser Aug 6, 2016 5:12 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2016 5:12 AM in response to Csound1

    How do you mean "close the cover"? I still want to be able to use my iPad...

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 6, 2016 5:13 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 9 (50,704 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 6, 2016 5:13 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    Then you will be able to see the camera come on

     

    What is it that you are doing that you don't want observed?

  • by NewbMacUser,

    NewbMacUser NewbMacUser Aug 6, 2016 5:21 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2016 5:21 AM in response to Csound1

    What kind of question is that? I'm not doing anything illegal... I just want to keep my privacy.

     

    Nobody else feels a bit put off at the idea of a stranger being able to record them???

     

    I found the story that started my fear and it's a real possibility: http://www.ronpaulcurriculum.com/public/4586.cfm

  • by AeroGE,

    AeroGE AeroGE Aug 6, 2016 5:30 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 2 (223 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 6, 2016 5:30 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    NewbMacUser wrote:

     

     

    Is it possible to disable the built-in mic and cameras at a more "hardware level" because couldn't an app just re-enable the camera if it needed to use it?

     

     

     

    No, Apps can't just re-enable the camera or microphone.

    Any App on iOS that tries to use your camera or microphone has to have to ask for your explicit permission. This confirm dialogue is presented by the operating system, not the app itself. So Apps can't circumvent this behavior.

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Aug 6, 2016 6:05 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 6 (8,415 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 6, 2016 6:05 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    You do realize that this story is about the Google App Store? That makes a BIG difference: many Android phones are riddled with malware. The iPhone isn't nearly that vulnerable. So is it a real possibility on an iPhone? Almost certainly not – Apple is very restrictive when it comes to allowing apps to the App Store.

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Aug 6, 2016 6:18 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 7 (24,566 points)
    Aug 6, 2016 6:18 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    Just put a piece of paper over the camera lens then, and tape it in place with electrical tape (the paper will keep the tape glue off the lens).

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Aug 6, 2016 9:23 AM in response to NewbMacUser
    Level 5 (7,820 points)
    Notebooks
    Aug 6, 2016 9:23 AM in response to NewbMacUser

    In the documentary film Citizenfour, recently aired on HBO, Edward Snowden demonstrated on the the interviewer's mobile device LIVE how the NSA can activate cameras and microphone remotely - I guess you must take the demo with a grain of salt, since it supports Snowden's claims and refutes the government's statements to Congress.

    This picture is worth a 1000 words. You may recognize the subject as Mark Zuckerberg... not particularly trusting of security features, it seems

    Mark-Zuckerberg-Tape-Facebook-Instagram-1-796x398.jpg

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Aug 6, 2016 10:17 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 7 (24,566 points)
    Aug 6, 2016 10:17 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    It's not magic though, and it's not possible without an exploit on the computer in question.  Windows and IE have been notorious for such exploits at times, but even OS X (and Safari) or Linux can be hacked if you're silly or uncareful about what you install or download and run.

     

    The point with iOS is that the sole source of apps and software are Apple and the App Store, which is monitored for malware in apps, so it would be far less likely to install an exploit on an un-jailbroken iOS device.

     

     

    http://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-malware-webcam-hacking.html

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