Google Chromebook to Release New Feature that Detects if 'Someone is Looking at Your Screen' | Snooping Detection

Urian B., Tech Times 24 November 2021, 09:11 pm

Google Chromebook is releasing a new feature that allows units to detect if "someone is looking at your screen" through its new snooping detection option. Enabling this feature would allow the camera to check if someone is looking at the users' Chromebook.

Google Chrome as the Perfect Productivity Machine

According to the story by Android Police, unlike a lot of Android tablets, Chromebooks actually make for great productivity machines the moment the user opens their box. This would probably explain why the models have been adopted by schools as well as office workers alike while offering a simple UI at a low entry cost.

The publication notes that those that have been planning to purchase the Chromebook for work, might want to wait until future models come out since they could include more improved security features. The Chromebooks have been known to come with a Human Presence Sensor or HPS, which has been present in multiple entries.

HPS Helps with Face Unlock

In September, evidence surfaced revealing that the HPS could also work with face unlocking in order to strengthen the owner's computer security. A report from 9to5Google gives users a little more insight regarding another benefit of the Google sensor.

Another upcoming feature for Chromebook users will help them enable the "snooping detection" option, which activates the HPS to know when someone is looking at the user's screen over their shoulder. Google will make use of the Chromebook webcam in order to track how many people are in the frame and react accordingly to the user's settings.

Chrome OS to Help Ensure User Safety

Everything works locally, which ensures that the users' surroundings, including their faces, aren't uploaded to Google's cloud. Once the device detects a snooper, Chrome OS takes a few more actions to ensure the safety of users.

If users just want to know whenever someone is behind them, they can enable a small eye icon to appear in the status area of the display. This would alert users of their surroundings without them having to watch their back constantly.

Automatic Notifications When Someone is Snooping at Users' Screen

This feature can also be used to turn off notifications or even automatically dim their screen in order to prevent them from being seen. This allows users to save all of their precious trade secrets as well as detonation codes from falling into the hands of people they don't want these details to fall into.

Even if users aren't necessarily a high-up government official or a super spy, being able to protect one's own data or whatever is on their screen from unwanted eyes is still quite a handy tool to have. As for when the devices that support this feature will come to store shelves, however, there isn't really a set date yet.

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Written by Urian B.