Joseph Gordon-Levitt worries about the government spying on him.
The 34-year-old actor - who portrays Edward Snowden, who leaked classified National Security Association (NSA) information in 2013, in forthcoming movie 'Snowden' - keeps the webcam on his computer covered up but insists he isn't “paranoid” as the “extreme” situation is “real”.
He said: “It's not paranoia. It's just a fact that right now the U.S. government is able to see anything it wants to see in regard to anything digital.
“Some of the stuff starts to sound paranoid because it's so extreme, but it's real. The government could be listening to us right now in this hotel room if it wanted to [through my phone].
“If the phone is out of batteries it won't work, but I've been told they could be watching you right now on this smartphone camera or on the camera on your laptop. They can do that.
“I put a Band-Aid on my webcam. Does that look paranoid? You know, if it weren't a known fact that this occurs, it might be.
“And by the way, it's not just the U.S. government. It's also Google. It's Facebook. Those companies are at least as aggressive as the NSA.”
Though Joseph - whose wife Tasha McCauley gave birth to their first son last month - also ensures he encrypts his texts and phone calls, he thinks he should “do more” to protect his privacy and constantly worries about people reading his emails.
He added in an interview with Playboy magazine: “I use an app called Signal, which you can download for free. It will encrypt text and phone calls with other people who use the app.
“So if for whatever reason you want to talk or text without anyone tracking you, whether it's the NSA or Google, that's an easy answer.
“Honestly, I should do more. I feel we should all do more. I don't like the nagging feeling in the back of my head when I'm writing an email to somebody and thinking, Man, is this going to get out?”
Bang Showbiz