Privacy control operation modes

A method for controlling user privacy by providing an in-private mode (IPM) of operation on a user device having a sensor, the method comprising:

• determining a configuration for an IPM quarantine, the quarantine comprising a virtual machine associated with a portion of computing-system resources including computer memory on the user device, the computer memory configured for storing data contents including user-activity data generated during the IPM of operation, wherein locations of data contents stored in the computer memory are not accessible to a normal operating environment of the user device;
• generating on the user device the quarantine according to the determined configuration;
• installing in the quarantine a set of one or more applications;
• modifying, according to a set of user settings, sensor data provided to the quarantine from the sensor;
• determining to end the IPM of operation on the user device;
• upon determining to end the IPM of operation:
• uninstalling the set of one or more installed applications prior to deleting the virtual machine, and
• deleting the virtual machine including the data contents of the computer memory configured for storing the user-activity data generated during the IPM of operation, thereby removing the quarantine from the user device, wherein at least a subset of the user-activity data is replaced with a set of replacement data.

At least one computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by at least one processor, implement a method for providing an in-private mode (IPM) session on a computing device, the method comprising:

• receiving an indication to begin an IPM session and user settings information corresponding to the IPM session;
• allocating a portion of computer system resources on the computing device to provide an IPM session environment, the portion of computer system resources including a portion of computer system memory, and wherein the IPM session environment is isolated from a normal operating environment of the computing device;
• operating one or more applications and services within the IPM session environment;
• controlling at least one of a) a first set of user-activity related information generated during the operation of the one or more applications and services or b) a second set of user-activity related information provided to the IPM session environment from the normal operating environment, the second set of user-activity related information received from at least one sensor, wherein the first and second sets of user-activity related information are controlled according to the received user settings information;
• upon receiving an indication to end the IPM session:
• deleting at least a subset of the first set of user-activity related information,
• replacing the deleted at least a subset of the first set of user-activity related information with a set of replacement data, and
• prior to ending the IPM session, determining at least one application, of the one or more applications and services, installed within the IPM session environment, and uninstalling the at least one application.