I talk about stuff like this all the time. I have a relative who is a paranoid schizophrenic and when he was young way back he talked about government listening device in the tv (honestly think he got it from 1984). When he was at his worst he was the nutjob homeless guy talking to himself (not totally sure he took off and we believe he was on the streets for a period). Anyway its just boggles my mind how the listening devices are corporate and we pay for the privelege of having them. Both an initial cost and monthly recurring ones (not so much me but the typical folks I know). Maybe its not surprising that people like my brother rather than being the weirdo in the 711 are now significant voices in society and government. Meanwhile I feel like myself and my kind are going to be the crazies talking to themselves on the streets (under breath - if due process is not followed for everyone then its followed by no one. federal agencies need to be independent of the executive with oversight by congress. judicial decisions should preferentially follow more recent precedence and the argument for it must always be written out)

    • eldavi@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      it’s history and ignored because it’s inconvenient like most of history is

      edward snowden proved in 2012 that this had already been a thing for years and that it was being abused by the likes of jealous husbands spying on their spouses and incels getting off to naked targets.

  • MurrayL@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    I hate to be that guy (ok not really) but consumer laptops with webcams didn’t really exist in 1998 so this seems doubtful

    • makeshiftreaper@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      3 days ago

      The comic says “professor who used to work for NASA” it wouldn’t be shocking if they better than average consumer hardware for their job

    • hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      10·
      3 days ago

      Thinkpad had camera already in 1995

      And Microsoft Netmeeting videoconference software was released in 1996.

      • MurrayL@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Technically true, but my (admittedly quick) searching tells me thinkpads with webcams were extremely rare and expensive. The first consumer laptop with a webcam seems to have been the Vaio C1, which also had a very limited release until after 1998.

        So I guess the premise is plausible, but unlikely. More likely that they’re misremembering either the details or the year.

        Not that any of it matters, of course. I just decided to pick a fight with a webcomic for no reason, and that’s on me.