Another business idea – this time a simple one.
Today the BBC has an article about “webcam hijackers” who blackmail people (mostly young women) with remote access trojans that grab webcam video.
I don’t get it. Why do almost no webcams come with a physical privacy shutter – just a sliding piece of plastic?
The right way to do this is a knob that turns a cam and slides a shutter in front of the lens.
It should have four positions:
- Off – shutter blocks lens, cam opens a switch that electrically disconnects the microphone
- Audio only – shutter blocks lens, cam closes mic switch
- Video only – shutter away from lens, cam opens mic switch
- On – shutter away from lens, cam closes switch
How hard is that, really?
Hey: VCs often say that good ideas are a dime a dozen. Mine go even cheaper than that. If you use this idea to make money, I’d like 0.5%. Of the equity in your company, or the profits. Or something. If that’s too much (or too little), fine – whatever you think is fair. This is a request for a gift, or reward – it is not a legal obligation. You’re free to use this idea and pay me nothing. If you can live with yourself that way.