macOS Services – Which Sierra Services Are Spy Services?

launchdmacos

Does anyone have a list of spy services/daemons (colloquially known as "junk")? I know this question could be interpreted as primarily opinion-based, but I'd like to keep this thing objective, so here are the parameters:

  • Services are quantifiable: sudo launchctl list

Defininition of spy services

Services that track

  1. browsing history
  2. location (I know Address Book or Maps needs to get the location when planning routes, but besides that?)
  3. installed applications

Feel free to specify things I have forgotten in the comments

Notes

It would be useful to know this list to remove them from the list of startup services/daemons.

e.g. launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchAgents/nameofagent.plist

Best Answer

Diagnostic and usage reporting services are controlled in System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Privacy → Diagnostics & Usage. Uncheck both boxes to disable reporting.

You would have been asked to opt-in to reporting when you first set up your computer. You are recommended to use the official switch in System Preferences to disable this reporting. There's a handy switch for you to use, unlike a certain other OS!

If you really want to manually disable the services…

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.ReportCrash.plist
sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.ReportCrash.Root.plist
sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DiagnosticReportClea‌​nUp.plist

With regard to what is reported, full details can be found in that System Preferences pane:

If you opt-in to sending diagnostic and usage information to Apple, it may include the following information:

  • Details about app or system crashes, freezes, or kernel panics
  • Information about events on your Mac (for example, whether a certain function, such as waking your Mac, was successful or not)
  • Usage information (for example, data about how you use Apple and third-party software, hardware, and services)

About Diagnostics & Privacy

Related Question