Is there an option within Zorin 17.3 settings to fully disable my laptop's camera? I did a menu search on 'camera' and 'video' but could not find one. I am looking for the software equivalent of 'unplugging' the camera so that it never gets used.
If there is no Zorin option then which is the best Terminal method? As the disable approach ('sudo modprobe -r uvcvideo'), apparently, does not survive a reboot, I found a recommendation for blacklisting:
Can someone please confirm that there is no option within Zorin (or one of the installed apps) and that the best approach is to run the above code in Terminal?
I cannot confirm as i dont even have a camera hooked up to this computer.
I wanted to just say, if you aren't ever going to be using that camera - you could add the command to your .bashrc file, so that you atleast don't have to run the command each time you start up your laptop.
A small piece of tape is probably the best option:
Easy to install and configure.
Cross-platform.
Immune to malware and viruses.
Broad customization options.
You could also check in your BIOS. Some hardware manufacturers allow to disable certain components from there. Otherwise, I don't really know as I've never tried this.
When You go to Settings>Privacy is there a Camera Option. If I remember right newer Gnome Version have a Camera Option but I'm not sure. So, when the Camera is active look if You can disable it.
Or You look like @zenzen suggested already in the BIOS if You can turn off the Camera.
Joking apart. That "hardware" solution is what I use. If I need to use the webcam, I just remove the tape (a Post-it File Folder Tab that does not leave residue). Simples
Looking at another thread, I wonder if this is one of @zenzen 's favorite sudo commands:
Thank you for providing a useful reply. There is no option that I could find within Zorin Settings - including the Privacy section. Nor is there an option within my BIOS.
Interestingly, there does seem to be the ability to control the microphone within Zorin but, presumably, the webcam was not deemed worthy of direct control.
I accept that if I do not have a BIOS option and do not care to use tape then I have to find a solution outside of Zorin.
Same here, my old laptop's camera has had multiple stickers over it for years, I didn't need to use it. And my new laptop's camera came with a privacy shutter, I covered it once and kept it that way
You'll need to install dconf-editor and search for "camera" as in the screenshot. For me it's already disabled because I don't have one (it's a virtual machine) but if it's enabled, make sure to disable it from there. I don't know how effective that will be, though.
Although I still think that a low tech solution is the best choice for this purpose.
I can now provide an update. Firstly, I have to apologise to the forum for asking the wrong question. I am used to the Windows world where all the onboard devices have their device drivers installed when the OS is installed. So, I assumed that Zorin would automatically install a device driver for my onboard webcam. This is not the case. (Unless Zorin should have installed a webcam device driver. I do not know but I am not complaining.)
I tried running the Zorin Cheese app and no device was found. To be sure I installed the Webcamoid app (probably because it had the word 'webcam' in the name) and again no camera device was found. Finally, I installed the System Profiler app and I am now confident that there is no webcam available on my computer.
So, it turns out that my webcam was already permanently disabled without me doing anything.
I am so glad that I did not consider buying tape that I did not need.
And its counterpart:
