How to stop Facebook from turning on your webcam

Happy Friday

Have you ever had a conversation about a fast food chain, type of car, or a specific video game, then a few hours later, there's ads for that exact thing you were talking about all over your Facebook or Instagram feed? Coincidence?

This gross violation of privacy goes way back and there's a new four-part documentary series on Prime Video called Spy High that's bringing the WebcamGate scandal of 2009 back into the public eye.

For those unfamiliar with the details, a Pennsylvania high school handed out about 2,300 MacBook laptops to their students, each pre-installed with remote monitoring software. The school then proceeded to use that software to turn on the webcams of those MacBooks, taking pictures of students in their homes and especially troubling, in their bedrooms. They got caught when they accused a student of selling drugs, from pictures of him in his bedroom with "pills" that turned out to be nothing more than Mike & Ike candies. Whoops.

The surprising thing about this series of events however, was that many parents rallied around the school to protect its reputation instead of confronting the gross violation of privacy. It was the early 2000s and remote monitoring technology was still new and not really well understood.

Fast forward to today, and we all have cybersecurity and privacy fatigue. None of us want to hear that our phone's location, browsing habits and shopping history is being tracked, sold and monetized. But turning on the webcam or microphone on my phone or computer is a step too far.

The biggest suspected offender is Facebook. There have been many allegations over the years hinting that Facebook is listening to us through our smartphone microphones. Although the company has denied it countless times, there are thousands of people online insisting that it must be true. Users across Twitter and TikTok often claim that Facebook is eavesdropping - pointing to eerily specific ads that appear shortly after they've had conversations about a product.

After all, if Mark Zuckerberg uses a webcam cover and microphone blocker on his MacBook, shouldn't we?

The Takeaway

If this is something that you are concerned about, you can disable Facebook’s access to your microphone. Facebook has stated that it only uses your microphone when you’re using features like Facebook Live or making a call through the app... but who really knows. Just remember that you will lose access to some features when you disable them.

On iPhone (iOS):

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and select Facebook.
Tap Settings under Facebook.
Toggle off the switches next to Camera and Microphone to disable access

On Android:

Open the Settings app.
Go to Apps or Applications.
Find and select Facebook.
Tap Permissions.
Toggle off Camera and Microphone permissions

On a Windows PC:

Click the Start button and go to Settings.
Select Privacy.
In the left menu, click Camera or Microphone under App permissions.
Scroll to find Facebook (if using as an app) or your web browser (if using Facebook in a browser).
Toggle off access for Facebook or your browser

On a Mac:

Click the Apple menu > System Preferences.
Go to Security & Privacy > Privacy tab.
Select Camera or Microphone.
Uncheck Facebook or your browser to revoke access.

Extra Tips:

If you use Facebook in a web browser, you may also need to manage permissions in your browser settings. Most browsers let you review and revoke camera/microphone access per website.
Disabling these permissions may prevent you from using features like Facebook Live, video calls, or voice messages within the app

Stay safe out there.

-Attila

PS. If you want to hear more about scams and other IT security topics, all for free, check out our Cyber Secured Podcast series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Podcasts, or any other place you listen to podcasts (we're on all of them).

New - the Positivity Box

Tired of hearing about negative, fearful and disturbing cybersecurity news? Me too. You may be surprised to learn that good things happen in IT security. Let's celebrate them!

This week the 2025 RSA Conference took place in San Francisco, bringing together hundreds of companies and thousands of professionals to showcase new products, share best practices and foster collaboration across the cybersecurity industry. Such events drive collective progress and awareness in the field and help make our communities a safer place to live.

New Friday Funnies!

What do you call having your grandma on speed dial?

Instagram.

What does the letter “p” in Facebook stand for?

Privacy!

Sir your account has been hacked....

Facebook???

No sir, your bank account

Ooh Thank God..!!