What is Privacy Guardian

Privacy Guardian online privacy protection helps thwart invasive monitoring of your browsing habits and computer use.

Privacy Guardian automates deletion of cookies and other web-browsing traces stored on your computer, lets you search privately, and allows you to easily disable several overly-aggressive Windows® data-collection default settings.

Why should I use it?

In the age of constant connectivity, online privacy and secure browsing are no longer merely nice to have — they are mandatory.

Much of what you do on your computer isn’t private.

Privacy Guardian helps prevent online data mining

Congress has overturned F.C.C. rules requiring broadband providers to get your permission before selling your private data to advertisers, making it even more important to erase traces of your online actions.

Privacy Guardian lets you customize which types of browser and cookie data are cleared whenever it performs a manual or scheduled data clearance.

Privacy Guardian helps prevent operating system data collection

Default Windows 10 settings enable Microsoft to collect detailed personal information about your computer use. Many of these settings are buried within the OS and not easy to turn off. Privacy Guardian lets you disable these Windows settings in one convenient wizard.

How do I access Privacy Guardian?

Privacy Guardian is a feature in System Mechanic Ultimate Defense that you can also purchase as a standalone product.

System Mechanic Ultimate Defense users can access Privacy Guardian by clicking the Privacy Guardian eyeball icon at the top of the homescreen.

How do I clear my browsing data and cookies from within Privacy Guardian?

First, customize your data-clearance settings:

• From the Privacy Guardian Dashboard, click Privacy Item Clearing Schedule.
• On the left side of the panel, click Settings.
  This opens the Privacy Guardian Settings menu. It is here that you should select which cookies and browsing data you want Privacy Guardian to always clear when you perform a manual data-clearance or schedule an automatic one.
• Make your selections and click Exit.

Manually clearing your browsing data and cookies:

• Back in the Automatic Privacy Cleaning panel, under the Browsing data column, click Clear data next to the browser(s) you wish to clear.

Scheduling automatic data clearance:

• After you have customized your data-clearance settings (see above):
• In the Automatic Privacy Cleaning panel (accessed from the Privacy Guardian Dashboard > Privacy Item Clearing Schedule) under the Automatic cleaning column on the far right, click the slider button next to the browser(s) you wish to automatically clear.
• Your data will automatically clear each time ActiveCare runs.
• Adjust how frequently ActiveCare runs from within the System Mechanic red menu bar by clicking Settings > ActiveCare > Frequency, and selecting a frequency from the dropdown menu.

How do I turn off cookie clearance for specific websites?

Some cookies are useful, e.g., by keeping you logged in to trusted websites or retaining your shopping cart orders. To whitelist certain websites from your scheduled or manual cookie/privacy item clearance, follow these steps:

• From the Privacy Guardian Dashboard, click Privacy Item Clearing Schedule.
• On the right side of the window, click the black (Dark mode) Add or remove websites from whitelist button.
• You may Choose from popular options if you are unsure which websites to whitelist.
• Click within the box that says Enter URL to type a specific website you have in mind.
• Review your whitelisted sites in the box below this entry field.
• Click Remove to re-enable cookie clearance for any given website in this list.
• When you are finished making changes, click Done.

How do I turn off Windows data-collection services?

• Click the Privacy Shield icon in the left panel (below Home).
• Under Windows Data Sharing Services, click the buttons in the status column to Enable or Disable each item.
  
  Personal data collection and reporting (Microsoft Diagnostics and Telemetry)
  These services automatically record many user habits and actions, including memory snapshots, program usage, system configuration, network connection, and more. 
  
  Windows Feedback services
  This setting lets Microsoft see a range of data about your machine, including which browser you’re using, which features you rely on, and which apps you have installed. This info is sometimes used by malicious software.
  
  Browser history tracking (SmartScreen Service)
  This service that collects data on browsing history and sends this information to Microsoft.
  
  Location tracking services
  Data retrieved from installed GPS modules and other location devices delivers highly precise information about current and past user locations. This data can be sold to third-party companies for profiling and targeted advertising purposes. 

What are some of the additional features of Privacy Guardian I should know about?

In addition to these features already discussed above:

• Automated Cookie Clearance lets you easily and regularly delete cookies and browsing data from all your browsers at times you specify
• Advanced Whitelisting prevents data clearance on specific websites you choose
• Privacy Shield disables Windows 10 telemetry and other invasive data-collection services

Privacy Guardian also features:

• Private Search provides further anonymity when performing searches
• Personal Privacy Score assesses the current estimated state of your privacy
• History panel shows comprehensive list of tracking cookies removed from your PC
• Engineered with increased focus on web browsing performance