[jamesmishra]

If this happened, the Google Chrome tab would show a camera. Many webcams have adjacent LEDs that identify that they are activated.

Google could theoretically release compromised versions of Google Chrome and only use the permission on devices where webcam LEDs are unlikely (e.g. smartphones), but this is going deep into tin-foil-hat territory.

[greggman]

that's not helpful. the pictures would already be taken and uploaded to servers without my permission reguardless of whether or not I wanted my picture taken or what's visible (contracts, trade secrets, people in various states of undress) .

also this isn't about Google spying. it's about Chrome's bad camera permission model. any company can abuse it