Nice way to say your webcam is covered?

[-]

HungoverHawkeye@reddit

The user should feel dumb, then they'll learn.

Reply

[-]

Then they'll complain about you, and in a touchy-feely org, or with enough complaints, you'll get talked to. I've been talked to about this very thing, by a good boss, in a touchy-feely org. Most of the time I was really good at diffusing people, but sometimes I would miss the trick, and the wrong person would take something personally. Besides a talking-to from my boss, nothing came of it, but it did put me on tenterhooks at that role. Working in a more straightforward org now, but also in a back-office position, there's just a lot less stress overall.

Reply

[-]

Acceptable-Tech8097@reddit

Nah then they just wont ask for help next time

Reply

[-]

HungoverHawkeye@reddit

Perfect!

Reply

[-]

Masam10@reddit

Why does it need to be nice? As long as you’re not rude… “Can you double check your webcam cover isn’t on please?”

Reply

[-]

the_doughboy@reddit

They'll feel dumb no matter what, don't sugar coat it. Even if they say "OMG, I never noticed that little switch before."

Reply

[-]

Xhelius@reddit

"You may have thought you moved it, but they're making them harder to slide in the new models." This was something I said in earnest when they sent me a photo to prove they moved it, showing it was still closed.

Reply

[-]

Greerio@reddit

I also add, if the camera is red, it’s covered, not on.

Reply

[-]

Xhelius@reddit

Not all models have the red, as mine is just a more solid gray than if the cover was open. If you know theirs does that's cool, but giving the same boilerplate to everyone causes more confusion lol

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

There is a legitimate point that they are making the camera as well as the cover more discreet in newer models. The new Dell Pro 16 Plus I just ordered is in fact very hard to see - at least in my opinion.

Reply

[-]

Xhelius@reddit

Oh for sure, the slider has moved from the front of the display to the topside on the newer Dell models so it's harder to see. This was after I explained that to them too lol

Reply

[-]

hlloyge@reddit

So? If they care, they will remember it for next time.

Reply

[-]

banker_bwoyee@reddit

Exactly. Im not even old im mid 20s but I never had seen a webcam cover until I got a coprorate job and an assigned laptop. I was confused at first about why the plastic piece next to the camera could move, I thought I broke something.

Reply

[-]

Sh1rvallah@reddit

Yeah I don't get this idea you have to pretend it was complicated. Now they will just make the same mistake again instead of knowing what was wrong and possibly letting others know about the simple resolution.

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

I don't think I need to necessarily pretend it was complicated. I just don't want them to feel or sound stupid.

Reply

[-]

Sh1rvallah@reddit

Don't baby them. Just tell them the truth and if you want you can just say it's a newer thing and you probably didn't have it on your last system.

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

I should've made a point that this has happened multiple times to the same user.

Reply

[-]

Sh1rvallah@reddit

This is now a management issue and not an IT one. User likely needs to improve basic computer skills.

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

But what if it is management. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Reply

[-]

Sh1rvallah@reddit

Straight to jail

Reply

[-]

Lumb3rH4ck@reddit

yeah being overly nice isnt going to help them then. be straight with them or they will keep coming back

Reply

[-]

TheJeff@reddit

I like to blame the hardware. "Yeah, I've noticed these new laptops have a habit of closing the camera cover on their own." They get to save face and you get a quick, over the phone, fix.

Reply

[-]

music2myear@reddit

Yea, some variant of this is best. Simple and direct. No accusation. I might pad it a *little* bit with something like "I know you've probably already checked this, but just to be certain could you look at the cover again?"

Reply

[-]

TheGlennDavid@reddit

The problem is that (and I've run into this a lot of times) is that they'll ay "no it's definitely not covered." Much like "please unplug, then replug, the power" is how you get people to *actually* verify if something plugged in I've found that "please close the cover. Now please re-open the cover" gets it done. If someone asks *why* I'm having them do this I tell them that it "reinitializes the camera and mic" which is not even always a lie.

Reply

[-]

nerdforest@reddit

Part of the job is having users have stupid questions. The skill is to re-iterate that they're not stupid. Had so many tickets where it was a quick fix and people felt stupid. And that's where you say, no it's fine, this happens all the time. etc.

Reply

[-]

rickAUS@reddit

Yea, the web camera privacy cover I usually tell users that a lot of manufacturers have them placed in or design in a way that's easy to activate without knowing, with the most common action being opening the lid, since many people seem to open from the middle right where that switch can be found.

Reply

[-]

CalmPilot101@reddit

I always say that I'm glad it was an easy fix - nothing better than that! Then I often go on and say that it's the difficult ones that's a pain in the butt. And I mean it, which is important, cause then it shows.

Reply

[-]

rcp9ty@reddit

I always tell people if I've fixed it 1000 times before that means that there's 1000 other people who did the same stupid thing and it doesn't make them stupid or you stupid it's just I've had 1000 times to fix this making me a pro at fixing these things. If they did something every on a weekly basis for years you'd be very fast at fixing it.

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

I try to tell them that I'm usually relieved when it is a simple fix.

Reply

[-]

Mindestiny@reddit

The problem I've found when approaching that way is the "I've already restarted" problem. They either wind up embarrassed or get defensive that they didn't think of such a simple solution and insist theyve already done it, thus actively refusing to do the thing that will solve the issue. Unfortunately sometimes we need a little reverse psychology to get users to actually do the thing and not just say they did the thing.

Reply

[-]

anarchisturtle@reddit

I don’t even bother asking if it’s covered. I’ve had WAY too many people spend 15 minutes saying it’s not covered before actually moving it. I just tell them to try sliding it

Reply

[-]

Careful-Combination7@reddit

That's pretty nice. It's also direct and specific, which is usually good.

Reply

[-]

Rad_Dad6969@reddit

Send them a picture of their make and model that shows the slide on the Webcam. Tell them its something we need to check before we continue troubleshooting and that a lot of teammates have issue with this model.

Reply

[-]

nj_tech_guy@reddit

here's how I would take those tickets, from beginning to end: "Can you do me a favor, and slide your finger along the top of your screen from left to right, and if that doesn't do anything, try right to left" (Thank you, HP, for changing the direction up across models) Wait about 10 seconds, they'll respond "OMG" and something along the lines of them being dumb or not having their coffee yet. Close out the ticket with "Instructed user on how to uncover webcam" and call it a day. (The notes not important for the user, they know how you resolved their issue, it's for anyone else who thinks you may have the answer to some tricky webcam issue so they know all the issue was was the webcam cover. Sometimes users word their tickets in ways that make you think the issue is something way more complex than it actually was) And then you have a nice little chuckle to yourself (maybe even include others on your team) and move on. You're gonna get another webcam cover issue tomorrow.

Reply

[-]

NextSouceIT@reddit

The user would absolutely rub their finger across the display area of the screen instead of the bezel where the camera is and then tell you nothing happened.

Reply

[-]

cokeacolasucks@reddit

Similar story: an end user was talking about a document was on her screen. She couldn't get it to go away. It was stressing her out. Didn't know what to do etc etc. I finally had her pull the power cord on the computer. She tells me "you're not going to believe this, the document is still there!" I basically tell her that's impossible unless there's a piece of paper on her monitor. It goes silent for 10 seconds. She admits somebody left a printed piece of paper on her monitor and she couldn't tell it wasn't a document open on her computer. Knowing the end user, it did not surprise me. It solidified everything I thought about her LOL.

Reply

[-]

NextSouceIT@reddit

What? This can't be real

Reply

[-]

Turbojelly@reddit

I had that, managed to let the user k ow in a way that they thanked me for an explanation that did not make them feel stupid. I focus'd on the design flaws of the webcam cover over the ac5u9ns of the user. There was no clear indicator if the cam cover was on or not. Some webcams have a red dot or white lines, this one didn't. Also, the manual switch had to moved so it was above the webcam to open it, which felt counter intuitive, as moving the switch over the cam feels more like a blocking move not an opening one.

Reply

[-]

VA_Network_Nerd@reddit

Sorry, it seems this comment or thread has violated a sub-reddit rule and has been removed by a moderator. **Inappropriate use of, or expectation of the Community.** * There are many reddit communities that exist that may be more catered to/dedicated your topic. - This type of post/comment is more appropriate for the /r/techsupport subreddit. * Requests for assistance are expected to contain basic situational information. - They should also contain evidence of basic troubleshooting & Googling for self-help. - Keep topics/questions related to technology/people/practices/etc within a business environment. * When asking a question or requesting advice, please update your original post with any new information, or solution (if found). - This will make things easier for anyone else who may have the same issue or question in the future. ----- *If you wish to appeal this action please don't hesitate to [message the moderation team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fsysadmin).*

Reply

[-]

Proof-Variation7005@reddit

Just lie and say it happened to you recently and say it took like 10 minutes of troubleshooting. User doesn't feel dumb that way and it makes you seem more human.

Reply

[-]

TheFleebus@reddit

"Is your webcam covered?" Ain't nobody got time to pussyfoot around simple crap like this.

Reply

[-]

UltimateAntic@reddit

Why are you overcomplicating it so much? Just be direct and say his webcam is covered?

Reply

[-]

WhiskyTequilaFinance@reddit

"The first thing I ask on calls like this is to double check that the Webcam cover didn't slide closed the last time you closed your laptop. Some of them slide easily, and people don't realize they've done it when they close the lid." I can't be mad, honestly. I know where mine is, and its still nearly invisible. Giving them a graceful out without making them feel stupid builds trust, and I find makes them more likely to remember to check it the next time because they aren't embarrassed by the memory. That, and Teams has enough stupid video issues that assuming its Teams first and forgetting the cover isn't entirely illogical either.

Reply

[-]

djgizmo@reddit

this is a layer8 issue. Layer0 is power.

Reply

[-]

workaccountandshit@reddit

A nice way to say their webcam is covered, is as follows: "your webcam is covered"

Reply

[-]

BrokenByEpicor@reddit

"Happens to all of us, no worries man."

Reply

[-]

Unable-Entrance3110@reddit

Yeah, you can say things without adding judgement. Just be cool, man. If the person is like, "oh, I am such a dummy!" I just respond with, "No worries, I am glad it was a simple fix!"

Reply

[-]

Shmoe@reddit

“I wish they were all that easy!”

Reply

[-]

Sway_RL@reddit

IF they're laughing while saying that I usually go for "No, not at all, it happens. Still glad I could help. With a slight laugh in my voice to go along with it. Usually works out ok

Reply

[-]

I_T_Gamer@reddit

This always seem to help in my experience. People are quick to self defeat, push back and let them know its super common, or nice to have a quick fix.

Reply

[-]

THEimposterFOSTER@reddit

To add to this, the person who needs help, typically, isn't stupid/dumb, just uninformed. These are not the same thing.

Reply

[-]

theHonkiforium@reddit

How dare you!!

Reply

[-]

CantankerousBusBoy@reddit

I usually phrase it like this: "Haha, your webcam is covered, idiot!! So what are you doing this weekend?"

Reply

[-]

Rwinarch@reddit

Decent communication is really a luxury these days...

Reply

[-]

OkTheory4610@reddit

Exactly. No need to sugarcoat it.

Reply

[-]

djgizmo@reddit

this is a layer8 issue. Layer0 is power.

Reply

[-]

Superb_Raccoon@reddit

"Privacy settings modified"

Reply

[-]

duddy33@reddit

I just ask them to check the cover. If they are embarrassed, I suggest that perhaps something in their bag caught the switch. That’s not really possible on fleet of laptops we use but I offer it as an out. If the person doesn’t accept the easy out, it’s on them.

Reply

[-]

chimichurri_cosmico@reddit

You need to learn to make the user feel dumb but make it believe he discovered he is dumb. That's how you cut google questions of filling your ticketing system.

Reply

[-]

tectail@reddit

I usually just explain that there is an itty bitty teeny tiny how would you even know it was there button. I mostly did remote support and even explaining exactly where it was at, you would be surprised how many people it took a couple of minutes to find it. If you are trying to be nice, just make it clear that you didn't expect them to know where the button was, but you have now told them.

Reply

[-]

recoveringasshole0@reddit

Here's a magic phrase: "Don't worry, I do it all the time". Don't lie to the customer about the problem, relate to them. You can lie to them about that part if you need to.

Reply

[-]

datOEsigmagrindlife@reddit

You really need to work on your personal skills if you have to come to Reddit and ask how to tell someone their webcam is covered. This isn't a sensitive personal issue like "how to tell someone they have awful smelling BO".

Reply

[-]

AwesomeXav@reddit

pbkac (Problem between keyboard and chair) standard 1D10t error (read: Idiot)

Reply

[-]

Bodycount9@reddit

I was called for a director's desk printer not printing anything. Walk up there to troubleshoot and find there is no paper in the paper tray. I put a ream of paper in and it starts printing his print queue. Let the guy know he needs to add paper to print then I left. Just say it

Reply

[-]

Big-Narwhal-G@reddit

I would save a “script” with a picture or video showing how the built in cover works and say please check if the cover is closed

Reply

[-]

2c0@reddit

https://preview.redd.it/a84qhxebwohg1.png?width=300&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f4d7387566ad3bdeb19c57fc7aadccf0e1987a0 I just send this

Reply

[-]

whitefunk@reddit

My favorite is when they complain about muffled audio and the laptop is closed....

Reply

[-]

Lifthrasil@reddit

It's a Layer 8 problem.

Reply

[-]

Arouv@reddit

In addition to layer 8 problem sometimes we also call it a picnic error when we want to discreetly tell each other it was the users fault. Problem In Chair, Not In Computer - picnic.

Reply

[-]

CantankerousBusBoy@reddit

"This webcam wont work unless your Layer 8 IQ ports 70 and above are open for communication"

Reply

[-]

xueimelb@reddit

Kids these days thinking they came up with something new.

Reply

[-]

iwinsallthethings@reddit

I was thinking the same thing. Layer 8 struggling with basics of layer 1.

Reply

[-]

yrogerg123@reddit

Call it a new feature, and tell them that you see this problem all the time. People just want to feel like they're not the only one who couldn't figure something out.

Reply

[-]

DasaniFresh@reddit

Lenovo started doing it on the models we shipped out during Covid and I had no idea. I remotely troubleshooted one for over an hour before I looked it up online and noticed the new slider. It was was indeed closed

Reply

[-]

itskdog@reddit

I saw someone who still put tape over the webcam and was surprised when I pointed out the built-in cover.

Reply

[-]

lal00@reddit

Also try to turn in into something positive: congratulate them if it was that, saying that not everybody does it and they did. They just need to remember this new feature and keep using it

Reply

[-]

Scientist_ShadySide@reddit

This is my strategy as well, and it works.

Reply

[-]

taker25-2@reddit

To be fair, sometimes its hard to know when it’s covered or not. It’s also something that the end users think about. Not all brands have that option. There is plenty of things to make fun of your end users with but this wouldn’t be one of them.

Reply

[-]

kaosf@reddit

The comments in here are not wrong, but in my experience, people can sometimes feel insulted over the mildest form of direct/correct communication, and that can be a barrier to getting through this situation. Like the choice between being "right" or closing the ticket, I guess. One thing I have tried is stating something like well first let's just confirm the mechanism camera cover is working - sometimes they get stuck "haha" so could you please close and then open the cover. This has them cycle it which can't hurt, and a percentage of those will probably realise that it is closed. The blame is off them, and they "discovered it on their own" so its all good. I used to have this constantly on older Dells with the WiFi switch. It would always be the WiFi switch. My tickets had an option for internal comments and in that case I would put something like "reconfigured WiFi switch to be in the ON position" as the resolution.

Reply

[-]

Mindestiny@reddit

Yeah, it's kind of frustrating but not unexpected seeing the complete lack of soft skills in so many of these comments.

Reply

[-]

CoolstorySteve@reddit

How soft are the people you work with?

Reply

[-]

thebetterbeanbureau@reddit

What a thoughtful way to handle this. I vote for you as our next President.

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

>It would always be the WiFi switch. Ugh. There's some nightmares. > let's just confirm the camera cover mechanism is working - sometimes they get stuck This is probably the way versus coming up with some clever euphemism. I do something similar with USB devices, ethernet, and power devices (my "layer 0" issue). > people can sometimes feel insulted over the mildest form of direct/correct communication What prompted this (and perhaps I should've provided context in my post) is I was assisting my boss to get ready for a virtual board meeting. He asked what the issue was and I didn't want to embarrass him in front of the other board members. I basically just said it was my "IT aura".

Reply

[-]

ShinzonFluff@reddit

No better way: "Your webcam is covered" Easy. Why lie?

Reply

[-]

SpaceFighter78@reddit

OP never said to lie, he just asked for a nice way to say it.

Reply

[-]

Masterflitzer@reddit

> Of course I should also pretend to do more work on their computer as opposed to switching the cover open and saying "ta da". doesn't get any closer to lying except for straight up asking "what lies can i tell users to make em feel good"

Reply

[-]

SpaceFighter78@reddit

Yeah I guess you are right, I don't understand why OP would say that.

Reply

[-]

DasaniFresh@reddit

Lenovo laptops have a red dot on the lens cover. I simply say make sure you don’t see a red dot and if you do it likely got closed taking it in and out of your laptop bag. Simple and shifts the blame a little to make them not feel like an idiot

Reply

[-]

nonades@reddit

Stop trying to be cute. The user isn't going to learn anything and end up wasting more of their and IT's time

Reply

[-]

CPAtech@reddit

This 1000%.

Reply

[-]

Vesalii@reddit

Telling the truth in a friendly way isn't rude. No need for a euphemism.

Reply

[-]

Insila@reddit

So this is no longer referred to as a FAT40 error? (Failure at terminal 40cm/inches from the screen), or has people caught on to it.

Reply

[-]

Masterflitzer@reddit

> Of course I should also pretend to do more work on their computer as opposed to switching the cover open and saying "ta da". why? don't waste your and their time, ask up front if they checked their camera cover and done, just be nice and professional about it doing stupid stuff to prevent people from feeling stupid is not empathy, it's fucking over your clients, imagine you're on the other side of things and the professional was being unprofessional, wouldn't feel nice at all, but being nice while fixing the problem asap would feel decent example conversation: - hey, my webcam doesn't work for some reason - hey, alright let me look at that, btw. did you by any chance check the webcam cover? - oh wow, now it works, could've thought of that myself - no worries happens to the best of us, can i help you with anything else? - no, that's it, thanks - you're welcome, have a great day

Reply

[-]

Ok-Volume3253@reddit

Sometimes the built-in webcam shutter gets stuck in the closed position. Please check its position.

Reply

[-]

enigmaunbound@reddit

Dear sir or ma'am. Please cycle the optical aperture occlusion device. Thank you.

Reply

[-]

g-rocklobster@reddit

I respect trying to not make them feel dumb - it's nice - but it's not worth wasting your time to do that. If they call in with the problem, say something like "Ok, you say you're having video issues. Let's start down the checklist - first, is it covered by something?"

Reply

[-]

CornBredThuggin@reddit

I tell them that his happens all the time and not to worry about it. Just be nice.

Reply

[-]

nonprophetITgoblin@reddit

You're too busy to overthink people's feelings on stuff like this. Sure a little bedside manner is apropos but just address the issue quickly and without emotion. Just tell the truth - it is a common thing to miss. Integrated webcams haven't always had the little switch, so some folks just don't even consider it. I don't even think this one is as dumb as it might seems, not even in my top 50 lol.

Reply

[-]

Aegisnir@reddit

It’s 2026. A webcam cover is the equivalent to a user calling me to their office to troubleshoot a computer that won’t turn on because they forgot to press the power button. You want to use the webcam, turn it on/uncover it. I just start slow with “can you see the webcam listed under your video devices?” They say yes, then I say ok so your webcam is working, do you just see a black screen in your video preview? They say yes and I ask if they can see the lens on the webcam. At this point they usually figure it out. If they don’t, I tell them to remove the plastic flap that is blocking the lens or slide the ditch to turn the webcam on because some have a physical disconnect switch instead of just a cover. Be nice about it, but no need to play stupid games.

Reply

[-]

binaryhextechdude@reddit

All IT issues should be reported to the users manager before being raised with IT. Said manager should know enough that when a user says I can't see myself in the teams meeting they respond with "have you opened the camera cover?" You may have more patience than me but I am getting very tired of "fixing" things their team mates could have helped them with if only they'd told someone before calling IT.

Reply

[-]

Mister_Brevity@reddit

“Oh can you check if the webcam cover is closed? Since we got the new computers that’s happened a few times… I’ve even done it myself!”

Reply

[-]

XXXG-01W-Wing-Gundam@reddit

eh thats a helpdesk issue not a sysadmin issue

Reply

[-]

Grand-Delver@reddit

For small things like that I just assure people that we get calls and tickets for whatever issue that is, and that I'm always down for a simple fix. Keep it light, be respectful, and this is a non issue for 99% of users.

Reply

[-]

armaghetto@reddit

This comes up so often that I mention it during onboarding.

Reply

[-]

SewCarrieous@reddit

“you may not know this but the camera has a little slide button thingy over it” they can’t know what no one tells them.

Reply

[-]

A8Bit@reddit

>"Most of the time when people report this issue it's because they have the camera cover closed, there's a small switch above the camera, can you just check to make sure that it's open? If it is, please let me know and I'll look into it further" Tells them its common, they aren't dumb for missing it, and you're taking their issue seriously

Reply

[-]

countsachot@reddit

I tell them straightforward, and let them know, "don't worry, it's a very common thing we get asked". Many of them are pretty well tucked away, not easy to see if you don't have great eyes.

Reply

[-]

cokeacolasucks@reddit

^this.

Reply

[-]

Select-Cycle8084@reddit

Make a simple PDF diagram of things to check for.

Reply

[-]

Jeebus_Juice813420@reddit

I try to mitigate it by saying if this is the worst issue you have today, you are golden. And I wish all my calls went like this.

Reply

[-]

Dhk3rd@reddit

Why is a sysadmin troubleshooting webcams?

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

Because many of us are one-man shops.

Reply

[-]

Dhk3rd@reddit

There's more appropriate subs for this specific topic.

Reply

[-]

s_bear1@reddit

In support for almost 40 years. Trying anything other than, hey your camera is covered, will make them feel worse. Tell them it is very common. You do it too. Update and close the ticket.

Reply

[-]

MaToP4er@reddit

Your cam is covered

Reply

[-]

Less-Volume-6801@reddit

What about a corporate IT Wiki with the most recurrent user-side issues?

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

Not to be pessimistic, but even IT people don't read those.

Reply

[-]

BrechtMo@reddit

tell hem that they are not the first one to miss it, that it might close accidentially and that it is not always easy to tell if it's closed

Reply

[-]

TheKingOfSpite@reddit

One person didn't believe me so i fully said "Just humour me please, jam your thumb into the camera and slide it left and right" what followed was a very dissapointed "oh" This was after about 15 minutes of troubleshooting just to try and satiate their desire for me to look busy

Reply

[-]

kombiwombi@reddit

Just a heads up, start by asking the user if the webcam 'not working' is an issue for during this call or if it can be addressed afterwards. I have been in meetings where the 'camera is not working' because the cover was slide across the lens was entirely intentional. But the social situation didn't allow for a camera to be intentionally switched off.

Reply

[-]

nlfn@reddit

"i was caught by this too! for privacy reasons vendors have added covers to built-in webcams. you need to (press button here /flip switch) to enable your webcam. then just (push camera back/press button) when you're done."

Reply

[-]

dude_named_will@reddit (OP)

Yeah. My only problem with this is I've had to show him this multiple times.

Reply

[-]

git_und_slotermeyer@reddit

"Latest-gen notebooks have a manually operated binary latch webcam obfuscator - you're not the first one struggling with this technical feat"

Reply

[-]

Bellegr4ine@reddit

The IT aura is awesome. But in reality it simply is the user being so afraid you solve their issue by telling them they simply suck at their job that they executed each and every step as they should.

Reply

[-]

Hotshot55@reddit

>Curious if anyone has any clever euphemisms for when the webcam is cover? Why the fuck would you need a euphemism for saying "your webcam is covered"?

Reply

[-]

aboxofkittens@reddit

In my experience people will make fun of themselves for this stuff and defuse the embarrassment if you just give them the room. Ask "can you confirm the webcam isn't covered?" and if they say "oh jeez I'm a dumbass" just tell them it happens all the time and that's why you start with that.

Reply

[-]

SchizoidRainbow@reddit

It’s not your aura, the devices are clever enough to recognize that you actually know how to punish them, so they straighten right up when you walk in

Reply

[-]

ThatNaysayer@reddit

I always go with "Can you do me a favor? Sometimes these webcam switches or covers can get stuck in a weird position, can you do me a favor and give it a couple switches to the left and right?"

Reply

[-]

derango@reddit

Just tell them what happened. If they feel dumb if you say "Oh yeah, we see this pretty often, your laptop's camera was being blocked by the built-in privacy cover, just need to flip this switch here and you should be good to go. Easy to miss." that's their problem. You're being friendly, you're assuring them they're not the only person who's reported the issue and that it's easy to miss if you're not looking for it, you're not throwing some made up tech jargon at them and you're teaching them how to solve the problem in the future. The only reason you know to look for that first is because you've dealt with this ticket 18 other times and you've got the experience to know what the likely cause is. Jan from accounting doesn't think to check the little privacy cover switch because it's not something she needs to deal with day to day. You don't need to pretend to check more stuff just to make them feel better, just be friendly and treat people with kindness.

Reply

[-]

Thirsty_Comment88@reddit

"Uncover your camera"

Reply

[-]

Fetzie_@reddit

“Other people with the same problem had forgotten to uncover the webcam” lets you tell them to do something really obvious without making them feel like you’re singling them out for being atupid.

Reply

[-]

BJMcGobbleDicks@reddit

Just ask politely if they double checked it’s not covered. Start with the simplest thing. Most people will laugh and say they were being stupid. If they’re rude, they’re just an asshole. So screw their feelings.

Reply

[-]

Hg-203@reddit

Yeah ask the user to do a quick double check, and it seems like it’s really easy to activate the cover as you’ve had multiple reports of it happening.

Reply

[-]

Chetrippohhh2@reddit

It's not that deep bro. Just say to check the cover.

Reply

[-]

sryan2k1@reddit

"Hey a lot of people don't know the Webcam have little plastic covers. Can you check that?" Anything else is a waste of time

Reply

[-]

tyranny12@reddit

It’s actually a layer 8 issue…

Reply

[-]

adastro66@reddit

"Does your webcam have a cover? Yeah it's no problem I do it all the time as well. These darn laptops nowadays"

Reply

[-]

JarJarBingChilling@reddit

Three paragraphs over a non issue both from the user’s side and IT’s side. Shit happens, no need to sugarcoat or be an ass about it…

Reply

[-]

OrvilleTheCavalier@reddit

I like to refer to these as layer 8 issues.

Reply

[-]

CaramelNicotine@reddit

"Webcam not working, picture upside down" Go to his room, look at it and confirm it is indeed upside down. Turn the damn camera (on-top of monitor one) the correct way and say well there's your problem :-)

Reply

[-]

Bubby_Mang@reddit

Nice has nothing to do with it. RCA's are cold forensic and objective truth.

Reply

[-]

Evernight2025@reddit

"You're so ugly, your webcam doesn't want to look at you either."

Reply

[-]

BloodFeastMan@reddit

We send out a monthly "What's happening in IT" email with things people need to know, how to spot scams, other reminders, and every few months this one guy in advertising makes a ten or fifteen minute video where he's interviewing one of us where we Navajo code talk for a few minutes and he puts it on youtube where it gets linked in one of those emails. Stuff like that is a good place to remind people of the problem you've described, you guys should consider it.

Reply

[-]

ledow@reddit

"I think you still have the cover on your webcam." "No problem... easily done." Why does anything else need to be said?

Reply

[-]

xfilesvault@reddit

If you don’t tell the user the real reason why it didn’t work, users just assume things are constantly broken and that it’s your fault. They’ll start believing that the web cams are finicky and ask for new external ones. And they’ll never learn about the web cam cover, which is actually a good feature.

Reply to Post

147 Comments