Basic tips for the safe use of the webcam

The presence of the webcam is increasingly common in home computers, especially when it comes to laptops that have built-in serial. We can not have the same view of the contributions of the webcam. Of course, in some circumstances the added value that this device presents clear, but the reality is that these occasions are rather scarce and that, however, all too frequently those in which the mere presence or improper use of web camera can cause serious problems.

Why you must be careful with the webcam?

1. The webcam gives very detailed information about its owner. 

It displays the speaker’s facial image, but also a number of not insignificant data. The approximate age, mood, body language and expression, the type of clothing and home, if there are people around and how often they appear, data contexts Photo of a sports club or an artist … is known a case where a sexual predator who became his victims on his clothes because he saw the shield of the school they attended.

2. The webcam can provide information that is not intended to show.

It usually happens accidentally. From the Police commented on the case of a teen blackmailed to hurt his little brother he knew from seeing him accidentally wander the way camera range. We can also see the pictures of teens Red hid his face but, the result of an oversight, have inadvertently identity.

3. What sends the webcam can be engraved on the other side. 

This is obvious but often will ignore or obviate adolescents. Consider the sequence shown begins and ends when the camera turned on and off and that is offered to a single viewer. Do not think that this sequence can be recorded and, therefore, anyone can get it. It is the classic modus operandi in cases of grooming which once obtained and recorded the image sequence or compromised, you go from coaxing the cruelest blackmail.

4. The webcam can be controlled remotely using malware. 

Unfortunately, it is too simple. Installing certain malicious program on your computer can manipulate the camera even getting off the pilot light giveaway that is running. It happened in 2006 and where teenagers Crevillente (Alicante) has achieved record images of high school classmates in their rooms.

5. It is inappropriate to use the picture exchange to determine the identity of the other person. 

Sometimes you think that having webcam could be found to the look of the party proposing to change its image by itself. For years the police warning that the images that we’d come from the other person are actually faked by it. If this happens, the effect is even more pernicious because we trust someone who is not who he claims to be.

6. The availability of the webcam can facilitate an irresponsible use. 

Certainly there are many other ways to capture an image or a video and send it to someone. However, the immediate availability of the web camera, one click, you can do that is overused and recklessly. As in the thymus and the heaters, tucked into situation, things that are thoughtful never would.

7. It is necessary for most of the problems related to grooming and sextorsión condition. 

Although no official data tell us the news. Predators and blackmailers prefer victims with webcam. With so many teens to choose from, the first screening criterion is usually the existence of this device. It makes things much. In fact, in the first case, many years, where there was sexual harassment and makes digital cameras were not as common or cheap; Predators sent their victims as a gift a digital camera to facilitate the capture and sending photos.

Five recommendations for the safe use of the webcam

For all those people who have a webcam, we recommend following these five basic tips for safe use of the webcam:

1. Use only high confidence partners and do it before anything would be done in public.
2. Always keep in mind the context information that the camera can be transmitted.
3. Keep the computer free of malware to avoid remote activations.
4. Turn the camera at a blind spot when you are not using because that way we avoid that, through an oversight or a remote trigger, you can issue inappropriate images. If it is integrated in the equipment is portable, just cover it with tape or the like.
5. If we want to know the identity of the caller and exchanged with him the image of the webcam for a moment, you should be asked at that time to perform a particular action (e.g., simulating goggles around his eyes with his fingers) we ensure that it is not showing a recording. 

Families have to evaluate this device for what it is: a camera that captures own audiovisual information and sends it to the caller. It can not be considered as an extra hardware is always welcome and you do not have to make any consideration. Considering the above, at certain ages, it is clearly inadvisable because the balance of contributions against the potential risks is fundamentally negative.