Privacy security

Privacy for me but not for thee? FBI Director James Comey tapes over his webcam

Thought you were paranoid when it came your privacy? Rest assured — you’re not alone. Last week, FBI Director James Comey revealed a few of his own idiosyncrasies in keeping his private life private. 

Although Comey’s position in the ongoing encryption debate between Apple and law enforcement seeks to limit privacy, a few of his comments caught the attention of those on the other side of the argument. In particular, Comey revealed that he tapes over the webcam of his personal laptop. (In some cases, hackers have been known to spy on individuals by way of the embedded camera in these personal devices.)

“I saw something in the news, so I copied it. I put a piece of tape — I have obviously a laptop, personal laptop — I put a piece of tape over the camera. Because I saw somebody smarter than I am had a piece of tape over their camera,” Comey said. It’s an interesting admission for an individual who has long maintained that “absolute privacy” can get in the way of law enforcement and protection.