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I'd like to see physical switches on all electronics that CUT POWER to cameras and mics and have a clear indicator when they are active or not.

I don't know that people would use them, but I'd like to have the option.



I would use them! I loved the physical WiFi switches on old laptops. These need to come back. A physical button for airplay mode. I would buy the latest iPhone the day it comes if Apple does this.


I think the law needs to recognize an intermediate expectation of privacy. Right now we have a hard level[1] or no expectation at all[2]. And that's it. And intermediate rule should make anything but incidental recording criminal[3]

[1] Film a lady in a dressing room? go to jail.

[2] Topless at the beach? Perverts can record you and upload the videos to porn sites.

[3] Camera recording people around the store, legal. Using AI to track who they are and collate that with other camera's? Felony, go to prison.


Easier said than done. On circuits that use small enough amounts of power, they can run parasitically from the power through pullup resistors on I/O lines. I've seen microcontrollers continue to work fine after lifting their power pin.


It would take a deliberate design effort for sure.


It would also be a bad design. Reminds me of the Spaceballs quote, "Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."




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