A webcam that spies
Is it just me or is it ironic a company called “Honest Technology” has just introduced a webcam that can secretly monitor what’s happening at home (”Nanny cam,” anyone?).
Is it just me or is it ironic a company called "Honest Technology" has just introduced a webcam that can secretly monitor what’s happening at home ("Nanny cam," anyone?).
Do you suspect your cleaning lady is stealing cash? Want to know if your dog really ate your kid’s homework? Is your spouse having an extramarital affair?
An Austin-based company has just launched MY-IPTV & CAM Anywhere, a new kind of webcam and software bundle that allows users to remotely log into their home PC from any broadband-connected computer for monitoring purposes.
Plus, as a secondary feature, lets you view your favourite hometown television programs, similar to the popular Slingbox product.
On the monitoring side, the webcam software turns your personal computer into a video surveillance system that detects motion and provides a live feed to wherever you may be. Alternatively, as with many other webcams, it can record video to the hard drive when it senses motion, which can then be played back at a later time. Optional features include email notices sent when motion is detected, scheduled monitoring times and the ability to record and burn surveillance videos in MPEG-4 format.
For the "place-shifting" television feature, a USB 2.0 TV/Video Capture Device box is included with the webcam, so you’ll need to connect your TV feed (such as a coaxial cable coming out of a satellite receiver or cable box) into this Internet-connected device.
So, is a product like this a great idea or does it violate the unsuspecting person’s privacy? Is it slick or sick? Let us know your thoughts.
Click here to read more about this US $129.99 product (plus shipping).
Filed Under: Computers & Software
If you are not doing anything wrong, why worry about hidden cameras. They are everywhere.
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"If you are not doing anything wrong, why worry about hidden cameras. They are everywhere."
i completely disagree with you there eric. just because im not doing anything wrong doesn't mean im not entitled to my privacy. for example, There's nothing wrong with getting intimate with your significant other but im pretty sure you probly don't want your friends or family seeing that.
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DUH ! You all must not have read Wells book on : 1984. . . .
Or seen the news of late . . .
THE POLICE STATE IS TODAY'S REALITY T.V.
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Nope! Too much privacy intrusion.
If you wish to be cammed so be it.
Go to an ATM machine and act stupid or reckless, jeez I wonder who comes looking.
Walk downtown like Collingwood or Orillia and you can see the spotters. For safety yes but do not especially put innocent people on the net without their knowing.
I see it as good/bad thing, depends whos wants to use the info.
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I am afraid that I must side with those who think that privacy is paramont. It is not having anything to hide that is important, but puting onto the internet any part of your life that an amateur with editing software can monkey with is just plain nuts. It can get you into court as well faster than you can digest greasy food. It's bad enough to give them audio to edit, but video, … ?
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It's sick but it is reality! I've heard that they've been doing this all along. Years ago they spied through TV's and now PC's. I believe that some PC's were proably rigged before they were sold to unsuspectng people.
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It violates all privacy acts whether you are in the United States, Canada, UK, or China.
Do not use this technology to prove someone is doing you wrong, there are other means that prove your innocence. Putting your home on live video means that you and your spouse could be caught in some acts only to be private and if you are willing to show people what you can do in your bedroom lol then perhaps you can choose a different approach?
I think it is wrong to have such technology in your home but I 100% suppor this technology for the streets of our country to make it safer and it will reduce crime as it did in UK by 60%
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No way State,get out of my life.
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I personally believe that privacy is PARAMOUNT, and most importantly in your own home. What happens is not to be viewed by others, who knows who has access once you rigged your computer with that software, I personally don't believe that some moments with your S.O. should be known by the world… we are already inundated by cameras capturing our every move outside of our houses… 1984… not for me, I would prefer moving than being stuck with my every move captured!!!!!
F.
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It's all 'just another brick in the wall', and as long as you believe the wall's there to protect you, you accept it… the price we pay for security… but what happens when the wall's suddenly there to control you? The 'if you're not doing anything wrong…' argument wears thin when you question who decides what's 'right' and what's 'wrong' and remember it isn't a perfect world we live in.
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hahahaha,
i can just see some dumbass forgetting to turn the security mode off and recording a nice close up of himself cranking off to some pron.
See I can just log in here and see what it last recorded…. hmm it's me and I appear to be concentraing really intently on something……
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Are you living in Democracy and are you qualified properly, if you are then you would remember being taught that all persons when at large or reaching out from your private residences are to be open to monitoring, the sheriff in past time had to know you were in town even as a traveler, that is why the hotel registration is required. We only have privacy when we are inside our private res. Evan our phone calls are open to monitoring but the misuse of the information monitored is what is not allowed nor the lack of qualification to monitor permitted.
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As a citizen of democracy we are availed rights through our qualification, govt, is functioned by public servants there to serve us the citizen, they can not afford rights to us, Our acquired legal qualification is what affords us rights and they can not be interfered with by govt. only wrongful actions can be interfered with, that is why we require monitoring to detect.
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Who cares… it's my home, and if I want to see anyone in it, it better be a family member, or the expectant Plumber, Carpenter. And if the wife has found a new play toy, so what maybe the bill is lower.
Wake up and smell the Pork Rinds
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The day the government or any stranger pays my bills…then they can 'peep' into my home life all they want. Until then…lights out buddy. Many industries are pay-per-view and i'm charging too, isn't democrasy amazing? we have the reedom of speech, but we need to wrap a curtain around ourselve's just to use a washroom now a days. :p
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The day the government or any stranger pays my bills…then they can 'peep' into my home life all they want. Until then…lights out buddy. Many industries are pay-per-view and i'm charging too, isn't democrasy amazing? we have the freedom of speech, but we need to wrap a curtain around ourselve's just to use a washroom now a days. :p
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Ha Ha Ha You call this a democracy we live in wake up and smell the roses pal it is getting closer to dictatorship than democracy,look at the ole good U.S.A. and the George W. Bush dictatorship.
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Many of you seem to be missing the point… Comparing this to 1984 doesn't make any sense… This is not the government putting cameras in your house to watch you. It is you putting cameras in your own house to watch what is going on there when you are not home. If nobody is supposed to be there then the only person you will be catching is someone who is breaking into your house, and who cares about their privacy?? Also, if I have a nanny that is unwilling to have me drop-in to check on what they are doing (whether in person or on camera) while I am paying them to take care of MY children, then I wonder what is actually going on behind my back.
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I think a lot of you are mistaken.It's not like anyone in the world can log into your computer with it.Only the PC owner or user can log in and activate the webcam.It still raises some moral issues, but it's not what you all have made it out to sound like.
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Great idea it is my house I think I have the right to know what is going on in there when I am not there especially when you have teenage kids. Great for security when you are away on vacation. Mind you it is an intrusion on privacy when you are spying on other people other than your personal place of residence.
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