Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Court Allows Webcam Spying On Rental Laptops

Posted by Soulskill on from the renter-beware dept.

tekgoblin writes "Back in May there was a class action lawsuit filed against the rental company Aaron's, which had secretly installed spying software that would turn on a laptop's webcam, take pictures and then send them back to the company. Overall it seemed like a large invasion of privacy, which should at least warrant an injunction to stop use of the software until the case is settled, right? Not to the judge, who refused to order an injunction on the grounds that the family was no longer in possession of the laptop. As for everyone else still using their Aaron's laptops, the judge had this to say to them (PDF): 'Moreover, it is purely conjecture that the other members of the putative class will be subjected to remote access of personal information.'"

3 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So... by GrumblyStuff · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm guessing he had rented a laptop and was recorded while fucking various farm animals.

  2. Get rich quick scheme by Issarlk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    1 - give rented laptop to family's teen child 2 - Let her do what teens do in front of webcams 3 - sue company for creation of CP (bonus) - eat popcorn as you watch SWAT teams storming their office. 5 - PROFIT!

  3. Re:wow, thats nuts by kevinNCSU · · Score: 3, Interesting
    You went right from one urban legend to one on the other side and threw basic science and reason out the window with it. First of all, the cup didn't melt, she spilled it on herself while removing the lid (Liebeck_v._McDonald's_Restaurants. Secondly, you say the temperature was 190 degrees, and "was kept at a temperature hotter than you could possibly make coffee at home". This leaves us with two possible options.
    1. You meant 190F and somehow lack the sufficient technology to boil water at home. If that's the case, find some wood, light it on fire, and put a pot of water above it. Let me know if you have questions.
    2. You meant 190C and expect us to believe this coffee existed in some sort of pressurized coffee cup that allowed the water to be heated to nearly twice it's normal boiling point and yet when the pressure was released it somehow spilled rather then vaporizing