Show HN: Someone Was Here – Find out who used your Mac while you were away
A new macOS app, "Someone Was Here," captures photos of anyone who uses your Mac while you're away, notifying you instantly via your iPhone. Inspired by the developer's ex, it leverages local face recognition and Core ML to track unauthorized access, whether the Mac is locked or not. Hacker News is buzzing with debate over its necessity, privacy implications, and whether it's a clever security tool or a step too far into surveillance.
The Lowdown
"Someone Was Here" is a macOS menu bar app designed to catch unauthorized users of your Mac. The developer openly attributes its creation to a past relationship experience, suggesting a breach of trust spurred this innovative personal security solution. The app operates by taking a photo of anyone who interacts with your Mac after it's been idle, tries the lock screen, or unlocks it, sending an immediate alert to your iPhone.
Key features and functionalities include:
- Automatic Photo Capture: Snaps a picture when someone uses your Mac while you're away.
- Local Face Recognition: Uses Apple Vision and Core ML to learn your face, preventing alerts for yourself, all processed locally for privacy.
- Instant Alerts: Photos are sent to a companion iPhone app within seconds; paid ($4.99 one-time) options include Pushover, ntfy, Telegram, or webhooks for remote alerts.
- Covert Operation: The app remains discreet on the Mac screen while in use, displaying local notifications only after you return.
- Privacy-Focused: Claims no tracking or ads, running locally, with photos staying on your Mac unless remote alerts are enabled, and never touching the developer's servers.
- Dual Detection: Works whether your Mac was left unlocked or if an intruder knows your password, and even records attempts to access a locked machine.
This app positions itself as a digital watchdog for your personal computing space, offering an audit trail for those moments you can't physically guard your device, while emphasizing user privacy through local processing.
The Gossip
Creepy or Covert?
The discussion quickly pivots to the ethical implications of an app that essentially photographs anyone near your computer. Many users expressed discomfort, labeling it as 'creepy' or even 'spyware,' questioning the normalization of such surveillance tools. The developer countered, asserting the app is akin to a home security camera, providing a necessary audit trail for personal space violations, especially citing personal experiences of feeling violated and implicitly touching upon contexts like domestic abuse where such tools might be crucial.
Lock, Stock, and Laptop
A significant portion of the comments questioned the fundamental need for such an app, advocating for basic security hygiene: 'Lock your laptop when you stand up' and 'change your password.' Alternative security measures were proposed, including Objective-See's free 'DoNotDisturb' app or hardware solutions like Yubikeys. The developer clarified that while locking is good, the app provides an 'audit trail' even for locked machines, likening it to door locks plus security cameras, and highlighting its utility for detecting physical tampering or 'friends' trying to snoop.
Ex-Machina Inspiration
The developer's opening line crediting their 'ex' for the app's inspiration sparked considerable interest and amusement, leading to the developer's witty quip: 'some relationships end in closure, others end in software.' Beyond the origin story, users offered practical feedback and suggestions, such as integrating alerts via email or iMessage to avoid requiring a separate companion app. There was also discussion on the covertness of alerts, ensuring the intruding party wouldn't see notifications, and a humorous anticipation of getting alerts filled with cat pictures.