It’s no secret that some applications are a little too interested in us and what we’re doing.

We’ve all had this experience: You’re talking to a friend about a new product you’d like to try, and next thing you know, you go online and see ads for the exact items you were talking about.

Grrrr, it is no longer a coincidence, right??

Until recently, we haven’t had a lot of control over what information our apps are gathering about us.

Android and iOS stepped up first to give us more power over our online privacy. We were given the ability to control which apps could access our data and sensitive things like our camera and microphone.

Set up is simple:

In iOS or Android, open the Settings app by tap (or by voice) and select “Privacy”. You’ll find several screens, menus, and switches for restricting access to the phone’s hardware (like the microphone) and software (like your contacts list) on an app-by-app basis. Android 12 includes a privacy dashboard to show what apps have been up to and shortcuts to managing the information that Google collects and stores in one’s Google Account.

But while it’s easy to think of this only being an issue with phones, laptops have the same problems.

So, here’s some excellent news. Microsoft is testing a new feature in Windows 11 to put the power back in our hands.

It’s currently testing a new feature called “Privacy Auditing”, which allows you to see which applications are accessing sensitive hardware, like your webcam and microphone.

You’ll also be able to see if your screenshots, messages, contacts, and location data are being accessed. And there’s a log of which apps accessed this info and when.

When launched, the feature will be available in your Privacy & Security menu, under App Permissions. You’ll be able to see a complete list of what’s being accessed, by which app, and when. It should become your first port of call if you suspect any suspicious activity on your device.

Once the feature is released, it will be an excellent tool for you to avoid malicious activity and ensure your sensitive data remains in the right hands.

In the meantime, if you’d like someone to look over the data permissions on your business’s devices, get in touch. We’re only a phone call away: (845) 237-2117.

Meeting Tree Computer, Corp. has been a preferred IT partner and entrepreneurial resource since 1999, providing innovative technology and security solutions to SMBs across the Hudson Valley.