Windows 10 Privacy apps.

[ztplru]

Hi Guys,

I checked 3 Windows 10 Privacy apps.

WPD

Privacy dashboard for Windows

wpd.app

Download - Get Blackbird

Get the latest release and disable new threats before they affect your computer. Updated regularly.

www.getblackbird.net

Link Removed

WPD completely disabled the camera and mic. I had to do system restore and I won't install it again!
Getblackbird has been eliminated by windows security as severe threat but it is probably MS that dislikes it, or can be infectious.
Win10-spy-disabler I haven't tried; but I'm afraid anyway to try any of these types of software's...

I turned off a lot of settings in settings>privacy, but still WPD had many toggles handy that can be turned off, which don't even appear in settings>privacy.

If you know of a reliable App for the purpose of blocking Microsoft from collecting my data please let me know.
If you think it's best not to even use any app for this purple, I will forget about it.

Yes i know it has the capability of blocking updates; but this is a setting i won't activate!

 

[Axel PC]

That sounds fishy. You can only disable the camera and mic on a computer via the hardware, not with software.

 

[Jimbo22]

That sounds fishy. You can only disable the camera and mic on a computer via the hardware, not with software.

No, not true....there is software that can disable cameras (web cams) and mics. You can do in windows 10 OS....disable it....which is software.

 

[ussnorway]

more to the point, you can turn a mic \ camera back on with software in Windows

 

[Axel PC]

No, not true....there is software that can disable cameras (web cams) and mics. You can do in windows 10 OS....disable it....which is software.

I'm pretty certain that to completely cut off access to the cameras and mics you can only accomplish this via hardware, not software. Just like with your cellphones.

 

[ztplru]

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your replies!
Maybe Axel has a point. He could be right.

Anyway my thread has never been about disabling camera and mic. I said WPD completely disabled it; and i could not get mic and camera working again.
The thread is about stopping Microsoft from collecting data about me as much as possible.
I believe even disabling all privacy settings won't stop MS from collecting info on users, therefore a 3rd party app is needed, and it would be great to get your advice on it.

 

[Axel PC]

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your replies!
Maybe Axel has a point. He could be right.

Anyway my thread has never been about disabling camera and mic. I said WPD completely disabled it; and i could not get mic and camera working again.
The thread is about stopping Microsoft from collecting data about me as much as possible.
I believe even disabling all privacy settings won't stop MS from collecting info on users, therefore a 3rd party app is needed, and it would be great to get your advice on it.

Yeah long as you're using Windows, Microsoft will be able to collect some data on you using it. You have to just not use a tech company's services for them to not collect data on you. And even then some companies like Facebook could get some data on you by scraping the address books of people you know.

 

[ztplru]

Yeah long as you're using Windows, Microsoft will be able to collect some data on you using it. You have to just not use a tech company's services for them to not collect data on you. And even then some companies like Facebook could get some data on you by scraping the address books of people you know.

Sure thing! But there might be an app that could be safe to use (therefore not too invasive) and free from virus and malware.
Most of them seem to be malicious and to generally avoid.

The idea with the thread was the suggestion of a reputable and even payed app that can be trusted to block MS from collecting my data to the max extent possible.

 

[Neemobeer]

Microsoft does not collect any data related to you nor can that data be used to identify you as a person. All the data collected is diagnostic an some generic usage statistics. You can't and should not completely disable telemetry as this will flat out break Windows updates.

This outlines all the data collected and how to set a system to "Basic" telemetry which includes only the diagnostic data.

Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization - Windows Privacy

Use this article to make informed decisions about how you can configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization.

docs.microsoft.com

 

[Axel PC]

Yeah, I don't think they collect "personal" information far as what your name is, etc. However, I'm pretty sure they get plenty of metadata; location, hardware ID, timeline information, software installed, website traffic, etc. However, I'm sure it is all used to tweak Windows to make the product better. Which I'm totally fine with. But I'm not naive to think that given the opportunity they'd try to get more metadata and personal identifying information on their users in order to market better and design products that would attract what their users would want.

But I'm not tin foil either. I'm fine with maintaining a balance between privacy and security. We all have our own threat models.

 

[ztplru]

Microsoft does not collect any data related to you nor can that data be used to identify you as a person. All the data collected is diagnostic an some generic usage statistics. You can't and should not completely disable telemetry as this will flat out break Windows updates.

This outlines all the data collected and how to set a system to "Basic" telemetry which includes only the diagnostic data.

Configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization - Windows Privacy

Use this article to make informed decisions about how you can configure Windows diagnostic data in your organization.

docs.microsoft.com

Thanks a lot! That was a useful read.

 

[Neemobeer]

If you're really curious you can intercept and decrypt the data sent to Microsoft. You'd need a tool like Burp Suite.

 

[ztplru]

If you're really curious you can intercept and decrypt the data sent to Microsoft. You'd need a tool like Burp Suite.

Thanks, will def check this security suite out!