At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements. 😉
What if you found out someone was watching everything you do on your computer screen?
(This week's question pulled from my life. Long story. But I was the watcher, not the watched.)
My son says people can actually watch you through the cameras on laptops. Scary! I think if I knew someone was watching everything I was doing, I'd figure out a way to block them. My son, the computer genius, could probably help me with that.
ReplyDeleteI heard that, too. Which is why my camera is always covered ;)
DeleteI often wonder on my work computer if there is someone watching me while I'm working. We are monitored for every little thing (and I mean every little thing) so it wouldn't surprise me if they had some sort of camera connected somehow. If I knew that for sure, I may be tempted one day to work topless, LOL :)
ReplyDeletebetty
They'd think I stare at the computer too long...
ReplyDeleteYes, you can be watched through your own camera. Glad I don't have one.
Oh man. Now I've got another thing to be paranoid about.
ReplyDeleteI would laugh because whoever is watching me would be sooooo bored! On the other hand, you were the watcher.. Not creepy at all. Hahahahaha :) - Great question!
ReplyDeleteI didn't specify the situation. For me, it was in a classroom. They really had no expectation of privacy.
DeleteI haven't covered my laptop camera - not yet anyway. I'm sure my audience, if any, would be bored. Why don't I stick my tongue out now to mix it up.
ReplyDeleteBut what if they saw your computer screen? (Not you through a camera.)
DeleteI'd definitely be furious, and ready to go sock whoever is watching me.
ReplyDeleteThey would be bored...Coffee is on
ReplyDeleteThey say that happens already so my hubby used to put a piece of tape across the camera...when we had a computer. If they are watching me, they would be very bored
ReplyDeleteBut I wasn't talking about the camera. I was talking about someone seeing what's on your screen as you see it.
DeleteOh well, aside from my banking which would suck, they would be bored
DeleteHa! I'd probably ham it up! I walk around naked in my house. You want to watch? Avert your eyes, moron! Although I'd be annoyed if my new book was plagiarized before it was finished.
ReplyDeleteFor a while, I kept a little piece of post-it across my laptop camera, but then when I needed the camera for skype, the image was blurry. Adhesive residue. Now I just shut my laptop at night.
You can put a piece of index card over the camera and then tape that shut. But, I was talking about what's on your screen, not seeing you per se.
DeleteFor me it sounds scary!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Red, though I used electrical tape and found the same issue. Heh... Smart phones and things like Alexa bother me. Also, there was a horrible 'game show' like this in Japan years ago. We heard about it on NPR, if I remember correctly. Awful story. And now I want to know *your* story! Be well.
ReplyDeleteAlas, my story is rather boring--not good enough to make a blog post. (It was interesting to me. At school. Watching kiddos not work. And someone else.)
DeleteI have already considered this. AS for someone watching where i go on line and seeing everything do on my computer, well, it wouldn't be all that exciting, except maybe for the weird research I delve into when I'm writing...
ReplyDeleteI got a spam email threatening me this last week with releasing a video of them watching me through my laptop camera. I was like nope I have that sucker covered in washi tape. lol
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