App features Webcams In Private Homes/Rooms: Do they know they're being watched all over the world??

[Phoenix777]

Ok guys, verrrryyy curious question... There are some apps like this one in the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vinternete.webcams&hl=en) ...and as you can clearly see, there are several webcams in private houses, even bedrooms, you can see the people sleeping, etc. Now, my question is: Do they know they're being watched all over the world? Or did they install the webcam themselves? If the former, isn't this illegal? If the latter, umm...why?? Why would anyone do that? These look like "regular" families with young children and you can see them cooking dinner in their kitchens, changing the kid's diaper and sleeping in bedrooms...just normal daily functions....but why???? I am just baffled....

 

[psionandy]

Now, I'm not saying that the people running the above app, are doing/not doing anything at all... but some of the people probably have no idea they are being watched.

• Baby Monitors hacked
• Security cameras with default passwords
• Amazon is (was) selling a malware-infected Webcam system,

I could go on

 

[Phoenix777]

Now, I'm not saying that the people running the above app, are doing/not doing anything at all... but some of the people probably have no idea they are being watched.

• Baby Monitors hacked
• Security cameras with default passwords
• Amazon is (was) selling a malware-infected Webcam system,

I could go on

But someone had to install those webcams in those people's homes. Who??? Someone broke in and set the webcam up? Why??

 

[Hadron]

People have cameras on computers, so if they are hacked then the room with the computer in it is visible.

Or people install their own security cameras in their houses, some of which are even set up so you can view the images from your phone while you are away. So if you do that, and the system is compromised, then that means that other people can view them too.

I don't know if either of these things is relevant, just speculating as to how you can do this without the improbable effort of breaking into someone's house and installing cameras.

The app description does say that it taps public webcams, which would be legal. There are one or two images there which aren't obviously public, but I'm not going to install it to find out more.

 

[Phoenix777]

People have cameras on computers, so if they are hacked then the room with the computer in it is visible.

Or people install their own security cameras in their houses, some of which are even set up so you can view the images from your phone while you are away. So if you do that, and the system is compromised, then that means that other people can view them too.

I don't know if either of these things is relevant, just speculating as to how you can do this without the improbable effort of breaking into someone's house and installing cameras.

The app description does say that it taps public webcams, which would be legal. There are one or two images there which aren't obviously public, but I'm not going to install it to find out more.

Yeah, there are several definitely not public webcams. I just wanted a nice webcam app to view mainly animal/wildlife webcams because I really love those. I had no idea there were those other kind of webcams. I asked a friend and he said they know they are being viewed because they are the ones who installed the webcams in their own homes. He said they are "voyeur" types. If they enjoy being watched in their daily activities while doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc....well ooookay lol. But if not and they have no idea, someone needs to tell those poor people.

 

[mikedt]

Yeah, there are several definitely not public webcams. I just wanted a nice webcam app to view mainly animal/wildlife webcams because I really love those. I had no idea there were those other kind of webcams. I asked a friend and he said they know they are being viewed because they are the ones who installed the webcams in their own homes. He said they are "voyeur" types. If they enjoy being watched in their daily activities while doing laundry, cleaning, cooking, etc....well ooookay lol. But if not and they have no idea, someone needs to tell those poor people.

They'd have to know their IP addresses, then go to the ISPs with a warrant or court order to find out their actual names and addresses. And that's not going to happen unless they're law enforcement, like FBI, and have reasonable suspicion or proof that a crime is being committed at the premises, e.g. infringing copyright.

 

[Hadron]

Just to be pedantic, if someone is deliberately putting their own life on public feed then they are an "exhibitionist" - someone who watches that would be a "voyeur" (French for "one who sees").

 

[Bg260]

Pedantic is one of those words I can never figure out. Ped is the Greek word for foot. Shouldn't it be Proctantic?
Sorry, saw the shot and had to take it

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20121117172807AAZubZo

 

[Hadron]

"Pedant" is an old word for a school teacher.

(I'm actually a university teacher, but I figure I can apply the word to myself as well).

 

[mikedt]

"Pedant" is an old word for a school teacher.

(I'm actually a university teacher, but I figure I can apply the word to myself as well).

LOL.. Definitely applies to me then, because that is what I am, a school teacher.

 

[Phoenix777]

They'd have to know their IP addresses, then go to the ISPs with a warrant or court order to find out their actual names and addresses. And that's not going to happen unless they're law enforcement, like FBI, and have reasonable suspicion or proof that a crime is being committed at the premises, e.g. infringing copyright.

If someone hacked their webcam and they have no idea their private lives are being broadcast all over the world into strangers' eyes, that is a crime. All it would take is a simple question to the victims: "Did you or did you not set up this webcam to broadcast over public internet?" If the answer is "yes" then no crime/no harm done. If the answer is "omg what??? no!" then at least they would know about it and law enforcement could possibly pin the culprit. And even they don't catch the hacker, at least the victims would know and could remove the webcam - or at least change their security/password settings.

 

[Phoenix777]

Just to be pedantic, if someone is deliberately putting their own life on public feed then they are an "exhibitionist" - someone who watches that would be a "voyeur" (French for "one who sees").

Yep. And that's what I'm talking about. On the other hand...see my reply to Mike above...

 

[Dannydet]

This is life in the digital age. Cover your bases and keep up with technology. The answer for this issue? Either they are completely aware of it, or completely unaware. Legally, that is up to the authorities I would guess.

 

[mikedt]

This is life in the digital age. Cover your bases and keep up with technology. The answer for this issue? Either they are completely aware of it, or completely unaware. Legally, that is up to the authorities I would guess.

What is it, the authorities are the FBI, and the culprits are in China or Russia or something.

 

[Phoenix777]

This is life in the digital age. Cover your bases and keep up with technology. The answer for this issue? Either they are completely aware of it, or completely unaware. Legally, that is up to the authorities I would guess.

What is it, the authorities are the FBI, and the culprits are in China or Russia or something.

I just had an afterthought...probably a silly question but I don't know much about webcams so forgive me....was just wondering, is there a way that maybe I could talk to them and tell them their webcam is public just in case they are not aware? Like, if I turned on my webcam while watching through theirs, could they hear me?

 

[Fox Mulder]

I just had an afterthought...probably a silly question but I don't know much about webcams so forgive me....was just wondering, is there a way that maybe I could talk to them and tell them their webcam is public just in case they are not aware? Like, if I turned on my webcam while watching through theirs, could they hear me?

Now that would be creepy.
While there are some webcams that can send audio as well as video, it doesn't go the other way. They are only sending devices not receivers.
It's common sense that when you have such a "cloud" device that has login access you should change the default username and password to highly secure ones. But then not everyone has common sense.

 

[Phoenix777]

Now that would be creepy.
While there are some webcams that can send audio as well as video, it doesn't go the other way. They are only sending devices not receivers.
It's common sense that when you have such a "cloud" device that has login access you should change the default username and password to highly secure ones. But then not everyone has common sense.

LOL Yeah it is creepy but hey if it would help innocent victims, I would at least try. And I recall a few reports of people actually talking down to their babies in cribs through their webcams that were hacked public! Now THAT is creepy! So I thought if they could talk to the baby why can't I talk to the adults and tell them their webcam has been breached? Not sure how that works though...