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Our 24/7 digital lives mean we’re increasingly sitting in front of a screen, whether that’s a laptop, a smartphone or another device. That usually means we’re also sitting in front of a camera. Some of us rarely used this feature, until the pandemic hit and saw homebound workers and bored students alike switch on their webcams to stay connected with the rest of the world. But while online cameras can provide a lifeline to friends and family, and a near-ubiquitous way of participating in meetings, they also put us at risk.

Whether it’s financially motivated cybercriminals, stalkers, bullies, trolls or just plain weirdos, the tools and knowledge to hack webcams have never been easier to find online. That puts the onus on us all to become more aware of the risks, and take steps to improve our online privacy and safety. A lot of it is common sense. Some of it needs to be learned behavior. Webcam hacking: How to know if someone may be spying on you through your webcam