[jlund-molfese]

For me, covering my work computer’s camera isn’t out of concern for malware

Some software like Zoom has invasive defaults, where a meeting host may choose to force cameras on for participants when they join a meeting. I don’t trust software to respect me, so the tape makes sure turning my camera on or off is always my decision.

[Tagbert]

There is a Zoom setting in preferences “stop my video when joining a video meeting”. There is also the dialog that pops up before you join asking if you want to join with or without video.

I don’t see any way for a host to force video on. All I see is that they can send a request to you to turn your video on.

[jlund-molfese]

If you disable the dialog to turn on video, and the host “sends a request to turn video on”, the participant will be forced to turn their video on initially when joining a meeting and have to manually disable it.

Anyway, the Zoom example is the least important part of my comment. I can’t trust any of those settings, because Zoom might change the defaults or overwrite what I have. I can trust tape, though. Tape won’t betray me for the sake of engagement metrics.

[metadat]

The point is that we cannot trust Zoom or any software to always have sane defaults, and it is a professional hazard.

I use a bit of blue painters tape, which is thin enough not to put significant extra pressure on the display.