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Anecdotally, the Glass team had a large internal battle about exactly this: half of the team wanted a hardwired LED indicating when it was recording, the other

Anecdotally, the Glass team had a large internal battle about exactly this: half of the team wanted a hardwired LED indicating when it was recording, the other half of the team didn't. Supposedly the debate grew so heated that it fractured the team completely, and the half that lost mostly transferred onto other Google X projects, like Loon.

MichaelGG 12y ago
That sounds silly,unless they were going to do a test of the LED in order to activate the camera. Otherwise people determined to record could just break the light. It's not like there isn't a ton of spy cams available anyways.
- r00fus 12y ago
  It's all about good intentions - assholes who want to record without permission will still exist, but the vast majority would not enable that hack, unless it was socially acceptable to do so. I think the LED lost out because then it would look all too much like the Borg.
  - MichaelGG 12y ago
    So what's gained by hardwiring an LED versus forcing it via software? The stuff I saw has a front light fairly clearly.
- harlanlewis 12y ago
  Hardwired LEDs for cameras are common, precisely to prevent what you describe. Laptop cameras have their own processors, memory, and software, and if the light doesn't turn on then the camera won't turn on. This isn't just so others can know when your device is recording them, it's for you to know when your own device is recording you. Of course, it can still be hacked. http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/perv-utopia-light-on-macbook-webcams-can-be-bypassed/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/perv-utopia-light-on...
  - MichaelGG 12y ago
    What's to stop someone from just disabling the light? Can you not jam a pin in it or something?
    - mehwoot 12y ago
      Yes but if someone went to those lengths they could just use a hidden camera. My fear is not some very unlikely determined person secretly recording my conversation, my fear is giving every single person in the world an easy tool that they will use that can also secretly record conversations. Hidden cameras exist, but there is very little reason to use one in everyday. But giving every single person a thing they have constantly that does this functionality is a real change. The linked article mentions how cameras were banned, but I still dislike cameras and if I see people with one in public taking photos I will avoid them. If those cameras were always out and always pointing at people I would feel very uneasy.
    - harlanlewis 12y ago
      As far as I know (which is very little), you're right - disabling the ability to produce light doesn't disable the camera as long as the software thinks the light is on. There are likely hardware-only approaches but they may be prohibitively expensive for a feature no customer wants to pay for. That's the big difference between designing a light for the owner's protection (who probably won't disable the light and will notice if it breaks) versus a light for the protection of others (who might not know to look for a light in the first place, especially once Glass evolves to look like regular glasses). There's a laptop accessory market for physically blocking camera switches with state determined at glance. Wearable cameras may need to adopt a similar mechanical approach for today's social expectations, but putting switches on your face is somewhat at odds with designing away from the Glasshole Borg look.

MichaelGG 12y ago

That sounds silly,unless they were going to do a test of the LED in order to activate the camera. Otherwise people determined to record could just break the light. It's not like there isn't a ton of spy cams available anyways.

r00fus 12y ago
It's all about good intentions - assholes who want to record without permission will still exist, but the vast majority would not enable that hack, unless it was socially acceptable to do so. I think the LED lost out because then it would look all too much like the Borg.
- MichaelGG 12y ago
  So what's gained by hardwiring an LED versus forcing it via software? The stuff I saw has a front light fairly clearly.
harlanlewis 12y ago
Hardwired LEDs for cameras are common, precisely to prevent what you describe. Laptop cameras have their own processors, memory, and software, and if the light doesn't turn on then the camera won't turn on. This isn't just so others can know when your device is recording them, it's for you to know when your own device is recording you. Of course, it can still be hacked. http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/perv-utopia-light-on-macbook-webcams-can-be-bypassed/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/12/perv-utopia-light-on...
- MichaelGG 12y ago
  What's to stop someone from just disabling the light? Can you not jam a pin in it or something?
  - mehwoot 12y ago
    Yes but if someone went to those lengths they could just use a hidden camera. My fear is not some very unlikely determined person secretly recording my conversation, my fear is giving every single person in the world an easy tool that they will use that can also secretly record conversations. Hidden cameras exist, but there is very little reason to use one in everyday. But giving every single person a thing they have constantly that does this functionality is a real change. The linked article mentions how cameras were banned, but I still dislike cameras and if I see people with one in public taking photos I will avoid them. If those cameras were always out and always pointing at people I would feel very uneasy.
  - harlanlewis 12y ago
    As far as I know (which is very little), you're right - disabling the ability to produce light doesn't disable the camera as long as the software thinks the light is on. There are likely hardware-only approaches but they may be prohibitively expensive for a feature no customer wants to pay for. That's the big difference between designing a light for the owner's protection (who probably won't disable the light and will notice if it breaks) versus a light for the protection of others (who might not know to look for a light in the first place, especially once Glass evolves to look like regular glasses). There's a laptop accessory market for physically blocking camera switches with state determined at glance. Wearable cameras may need to adopt a similar mechanical approach for today's social expectations, but putting switches on your face is somewhat at odds with designing away from the Glasshole Borg look.