I keep worrying about getting hacked, and I even cover my front camera with tape most of the time. But I’m scared that putting tape on and off every day might mess up the camera.
How do I make sure I’m not hacked? I’ve read stories about people spying through phone cameras, and it freaks me out. My phone is a Poco X6 Pro, if that matters. I avoid sketchy websites and don’t click on anything weird. I’ve also only given camera access to apps when I really need it.
Am I doing enough, or is there something else I should be doing?
I don’t mean this in a bad way, but maybe talk to someone about your fears. It’s good to take precautions, but constantly worrying isn’t good for your mental health. Like others said, avoid sketchy apps and sites. Also, most hackers won’t target regular people unless there’s something valuable to gain.
Tape won’t damage your camera, so no worries there.
Just stick to downloading apps from trusted sources like the Play Store, and you’ll be fine.
Those news stories about hackers using cameras? It’s incredibly rare.
You’re not a high-profile target, so the chances of someone hacking you are very low. Modern phones are really hard to exploit. And honestly, think about this: even if someone hacked your camera, what would they see? Your ceiling? Maybe you scrolling through your phone? There’s really nothing for them to gain.
Android phones are built to be really secure, so it’s tough to hack them. Most of the time, hackers would need you to install a bad app and give it permissions. Avoid downloading random apps, don’t root your phone, and maybe stay off sketchy websites. A few years ago, there was a hack involving malicious video files, but it’s already been fixed. Just keep your phone updated, and you should be good.
I put tape over my camera but worry it’ll hurt it.
Tape won’t cause any damage, so don’t stress about that.
How can I make sure I’m not hacked?
Most stories about hacking are exaggerated. Hacking a phone to access the camera is very hard and usually requires you to install a bad app and give it permissions.
I don’t visit shady sites, but not all are super well-known.
Your habits sound good. Phones are hard to hack unless you give someone access. Just keep your software up to date and avoid random apps. You’re overthinking it, but you’re safe.
On Android 13 (and probably 14), you’ll see a little green camera icon near the battery when your camera is being used. It’s a handy way to check if something is spying on you.
scofield said:
On Android 13 (and probably 14), you’ll see a little green camera icon near the battery when your camera is being used. It’s a handy way to check if something is spying on you.
A smart hacker might disable that first. But honestly, they’d usually focus on stealing data, not spying through cameras.