Hardware Nintendo Possibly Spying on Gamers

[Deleted_413010]

Hello people i have found something very odd about my N3DS.

When i go into System Settings no matter if 3D is on or not the red light right by the front-facing camera turns on for no apparent reason and stays on the entire time your in System Settings. Once you leave it turns off if 3D is off. I never usually use 3D and i even double checked to see if it was on by mistake and it wasn't. It doesn't appear to do it on the home menu but its really odd and a bit creepy.

I talked to JdBye about it beforehand about this as i (sort of) have direct contact with him.

 

[AxlSt00pid]

I don't get that because my cameras are broken, but I don't recall that happening when they worked

 

[osm70]

Nintendo designed the whole thing. If they really were spying on you, would they really turn the camera light on?

 

[Deleted_413010]

Nintendo designed the whole thing. If they really were spying on you, would they really turn the camera light on?

Honestly just because they designed it doesn't mean they cant hide themselves spying on you. It would probably screw up the whole system if they tried to do that.

 

[smileyhead]

Do you really think after all this time and people reverse engineering the system, we wouldn't have found out? Also, why would it only happen in System Settings? People almost never open it.

 

[Deleted_413010]

Do you really think after all this time and people reverse engineering the system, we wouldn't have found out? Also, why would it only happen in System Settings? People almost never open it.

If your saying you already knew about this then there hasn't really been discussion on why it is on. Also only in System Settings is unknown as of now. I just checked H&S & the Internet Browser and it doesn't turn on.

 

[TurdPooCharger]

Honestly just because they designed it doesn't mean they cant hide themselves spying on you. It would probably screw up the whole system if they tried to do that.

That infrared LED is to provide low lighting for the camera to see your face in the dark. I also noticed in System Settings when you have the 3D switched turned off and move your face away from the camera, that light will turn and stay on.

If you don't play in 3D mode and are worried about your privacy, which is a valid concern as other devices and companies are known to spy on people, use a sliver of electric tape for peace of mind.

 

[Deleted_413010]

That infrared LED is to provide low lighting for the camera to see your face in the dark.

If this is true then why would my face be needed for System Settings? What could my face possibly be needed for in there.

 

[SkittleDash]

If your saying you already knew about this then there hasn't really been discussion on why it is on. Also only in System Settings is unknown as of now. I just checked H&S & the Internet Browser and it doesn't turn on.

Just sounds to me that you have a dodgy camera. If it were the case of spying, there would be so many reports about this already. And plus, this would be illegal for Nintendo for many reasons. They aren't that stupid.

 

[smileyhead]

If this is true then why would my face be needed for System Settings? What could my face possibly be needed for in there.

The 3D effect is used for icons and text on the top screen. Also, the Super-Stable 3D calibration.

 

[Deleted_413010]

And plus, this would be illegal for Nintendo for many reasons. They aren't that stupid.

Nintendo created the Wii U and is now making online a paid service and your telling me they aren't that stupid? Also their security until now actually stunk. The Switch fixed that.

If it were the case of spying, there would be so many reports about this already.

Well its like what smileyhead said "Also, why would it only happen in System Settings? People almost never open it." so its not like people would instantly notice.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

The 3D effect is used for icons and text on the top screen. Also, the Super-Stable 3D calibration.

Well with 3D being disabled i see no need for it to be on

 

[SkittleDash]

Nintendo created the Wii U and is now making online a paid service and your telling me they aren't that stupid? Also their security until now actually stunk. The Switch fixed that.

Law has nothing to do with that.

 

[Deleted_413010]

Law has nothing to do with that.

I know. I was only beating your "they're not that stupid" claim.

 

[smileyhead]

If an everyday person like you can notice this, Nintendo would've already gotten their ass whooped in court.

 

[kuwanger]

It doesn't appear to do it on the home menu but its really odd and a bit creepy.

Or it's lazy design. AFAIK, the red/infrared light is specifically used by the N3DS for face tracking for "Super Stable 3D". I imagine that System Settings just turns the light on either as part of general diagnostics an/or as prep for configuring settings related to it and doesn't bother turning it off. If this was part of some conspiracy designed to spy on people, it'd actually be stupid to turn on said light specifically and actual spying would probably be on something other like the home screen.

But, in the end, the proper action is as TurdPooCharger already stated: put thick, opaque tape over it. That holds true for any camera on any device. I'd personally be more worried about the microphone. Not only is audio data more compactable (look at opus) that video data and hence easier to secretly transmit, but it's likely to pick up more "useful" information.

If an everyday person like you can notice this, Nintendo would've already gotten their ass whooped in court.

Honestly, I somewhat doubt it. Nintendo could claim ignorance on the age of users, and that seems to have shielded Google, Facebook, and every other company that routinely scoops up data and ignores privacy concerns.

 

[Deleted_413010]

Or it's lazy design. AFAIK, the red/infrared light is specifically used by the N3DS for face tracking for "Super Stable 3D". I imagine that System Settings just turns the light on either as part of general diagnostics an/or as prep for configuring settings related to it and doesn't bother turning it off. If this was part of some conspiracy designed to spy on people, it'd actually be stupid to turn on said light specifically and actual spying would probably be on something other than the home screen.

But, in the end, the proper action is as TurdPooCharger already stated: put thick, opaque tape over it. That holds true for any camera on any device. I'd personally be more worried about the microphone. Not only is audio data more compactable (look at opus) that video data and hence easier to secretly transmit, but it's likely to pick up more "useful" information.

Well what kind of "diagnostics". Honestly Nintendo never put in a diagnostic program into the 3DS when it would have been smart to do so. I honestly think it would have been a good idea to have like a recovery system in the memory to use incase you brick your system.

The fact that the LED light by the front-facing camera is still on with 3D turned off while on the System Update program (where internet exists) just makes it spooky enough. It could be possibly recording footage and then sending it secretly to Nintendo while its connected to the internet.

 

[osm70]

I have just one question.

Why?

No, really. What would they use the video for? Why would they want to look at your face?

 

[Deleted_413010]

I have just one question.

Why?

No, really. What would they use the video for? Why would they want to look at your face?

That's the same question i've been wondering

 

[Deleted_413010]

Accidentally double sent my post due to a temporary connection problem

 

[kuwanger]

Well what kind of "diagnostics".

if (!turn_on_light_properly())
return dialog("Error: Super-Stable 3D could not be initialized and is unavailable");

That sort of really, really basic programming thing.

The fact that the LED light by the front-facing camera is still on with 3D turned off while on the System Update program (where internet exists) just makes it spooky enough. It could be possibly recording footage and then sending it secretly to Nintendo while its connected to the internet.

The point is, the light doesn't have to be on to record footage. Ergo, the light being on indicates nothing. If you're engaging in surveillance, if anything you want the feature turned off or ignored because it possible means wasting more CPU cycles (presuming any are used) for face tracking when you want to just capture everything in the camera's field of view and compress it as small as possible so it can be uploaded without being noticed.

 

[gamesquest1]

wearing a tinfoil hat i read will block the infrared from noticing your there

anyway, gonna lock this thread, its most likely just initialised as part of the calibration routine in system settings, more of a bug than anything else....or maybe nintendo is paying us to keep this underwraps