Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera

Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera by agsamek on Saturday July 11, 2020 @04:09AM (#23800441)

It is extremely unlikely (in the human terms - not possible) that LED would break in such a way that it transmits the power and not emit light at the same time.

Of course the LED can be installed in a parallel connection on the circuit, but I read the op statement as it is not the case.

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Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera by edeion on Saturday July 11, 2020 @05:18AM (#23800703)

"Let's devise a way to purposefully burn the LED in such a way that current can go through." We have to keep in mind that not everything has to be by accident :) I have no idea how likely it is to be possible, though, you've got a point.

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Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera by gugagore on Saturday July 11, 2020 @10:41AM (#23802520)

Why did you read that it's not the case? I read the opposite. That if the LED broke, you'd notice it because your camera would be on and the light would be off.

Not that the camera never turns on.

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Re:Don't close your MacBook with a cover over the camera by dgoldstein0 on Saturday July 11, 2020 @07:02AM (#23801168)

I would bet on the LED being parallel - otherwise sending more current through it will burn more power, generate more heat, and likely cause it to wear faster.

I think the point though is that it's not software controlled in any way: powering on the camera lights up the LED, and there's no way to bypass that with only software. Or at least that's the claim.

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