I'm uncomfortable sharing the amount of time I have games running with Steam; I certainly don't want MS to have information about which applications I'm running and for how long.<p>MS and I have radically different expectations about what privacy means in the context of a personal computer.<p>In particular, I run applications I've written myself. You could easily figure out what I'm doing from knowing which application was in the foreground at any given time.<p>Contents of files etc. is at the extreme end of privacy violation. I strongly object to the thinnest end of the wedge.
This comes across as: "Now that we've got all your private data, there's a diminishing return on maintaining a system to collect it again, so we'll go for some positive PR by putting this interface up and let you secure a false sense of privacy"<p>They've been collecting "telemetry" through an opaque encrypted collection system [1], and after a year of this collection, comes a "deep commitment to privacy"? This is very difficult to believe. Am I needlessly cynical here?<p>[1] As far as I know, nobody has decrypted the "telemetry" streams, so we don't actually know what MSFT is collecting, so nobody can be sure that it doesn't collect your sensitive documents, private keys, keyboard logs, etc.
It's telling that the lowest telemetry level is considered a premium "Enterprise" feature [1], and there's no way to disable it entirely.<p>[1] <a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/configure-windows-telemetry-in-your-organization" rel="nofollow">https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/con...</a> CTRL-F "windows 10 enterprise"
That's funny, it's a web-based privacy dashboard that only works when you link your Windows 10 account with your Microsoft Live account. In other words: the opposite of privacy.<p>Your bing search history shouldn't be linked to your identity in the first place. Same for cortana and edge. So Microsoft isn't getting any kudos for allowing users to see what kind of data is being collected on them (which they have to do by EU law anyhow).<p>I applaud any serious projects that advance privacy but this ain't it.
Having the default position of gathering everyone's personal information and requiring them to learn more about your policies before manually opt-ing out is a huge problem, and it's one of the major reasons why I upgraded my personal Computers from Windows 7 to Ubuntu. The "GWX" thing didn't help either.<p>How about you take a page from your own book and go back to an O/S that strictly runs my programs and doesn't look for analytics in my computing habits? Honestly, taking payment for a product and still using the client as a product through gathering analytics is double-dipping. It's monetized twice over and provides no added value to the user.
I regret ever using Google or Facebook services so extensively. I'm on Windows 7 and intentionally never upgraded to Windows 10 due to the privacy issues. From this announcement it doesn't sound like there's anyway to 100% remove any tracking for all applications. Am I mistaken?
> We are continuing this commitment to make it as easy as possible for you to make informed choices about your privacy with Windows 10<p>Can I choose to keep all of my data private? Why is there no opt-out?<p>They like to talk about the benefits of the sharing the data with them and I think that's great. They should make it so compelling that I <i>want</i> to share my data. So far, they haven't. I feel like I'm giving up far too much for what I'm getting in return.
"We also recognize organizations have different needs than individuals when addressing privacy."<p>Translation: in our opinion, individuals don't need that much privacy. So we won't give them any.
>At Microsoft, we are deeply committed to protecting our customers’ privacy. This includes providing clear choices and easy-to-use tools that put you in control of how your information is collected and used.<p>LOL here I stopped reading this FUD. Do they still re-enable telemetry when updates to them are installed?
My god this is painful to read with all the cold and opaque corporate speak. When they start referring to everything as 'experiences' my brain switches off
I do like how the "simplified" privacy controls conflates sharing choices you would want to make with sharing choices that don't benefit you in any way. E.g.: Share your location with the weather app and microsoft? Yes/No. Share your location <i>only</i> with the weather app? Sorry, that's not possible.
This is standard Microsoft BS.<p>"Basic" telemetry is absolutely not required for Windows to function. How do I know that? Because I turned it off using a 3rd party program (link below) and Windows still functions.<p>Windows Enterprise and Education can set telemetry to "Security" which is ACTUALLY a minimum reasonable setting for Windows to function. They explicitly block Windows Home and Pro users from setting telemetry to "Security".<p>It's outrageous that MS gets away with this. If only videogames released on MacOS, I would have switched years ago.<p>O&O Shutup10: <a href="https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10" rel="nofollow">https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10</a><p>"Security" telemetry description: <a href="https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/configure-windows-telemetry-in-your-organization#security-level" rel="nofollow">https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/con...</a>
"Continuing" implies that it was there in the first place, and I don't believe that to be the case. Between<p>- The telemetry,<p>- Spying on kids by default (<a href="https://boingboing.net/2015/08/10/windows-10.html" rel="nofollow">https://boingboing.net/2015/08/10/windows-10.html</a> - I helped my kid disable this on his new Christmas laptop), and<p>- The "share your Wi-Fi passwords with your friends" feature<p>I just don't have any confidence that Microsoft isn't analyzing everything I do and sharing all my metadata with anyone who wants it. Say what you will about macOS and Linux, but at least with those I'm the customer and not the product.
I just built my father a new computer and while I know that Windows 7 has some related issues they are nowhere near the level of Windows 10 (and that bit about forced restarts sounds a whole lot like an involuntary bsod 'crash' from about 1996...). Thus I went out of my way to get a license for W7 Ultimate... which cost more than the equivalent for W10. Makes me wonder.
> <i>Continuing commitment to privacy with Windows 10</i><p>MWAHAHAHAHA... Jesus. Just read it word by word.<p>That's some Grade A newspeak. Such a strong wiff of Orwell.
Recommended for Windows 10 users, although you may want to review every change carefully.<p><a href="https://modzero.github.io/fix-windows-privacy/" rel="nofollow">https://modzero.github.io/fix-windows-privacy/</a>
On the surface, I'm glad Microsoft is doing this. However, it's hard for me to ignore the idea that with these positive changes might come hidden, negative changes. That is, I don't think I can trust Microsoft to just do what they say they're doing in this announcement; I won't fully believe this is better for privacy overall until people have been over the new version of Windows with a fine-toothed comb and confirmed it. Plus, there are indicators (like the language around the switching off of invasive settings) that Microsoft's goal is still to collect way more data than seems reasonable.
<i>My</i> continuing commitment to my privacy means that I continue to stick with Windows 7, and only for those things that I must use Windows for. Everything else is done on Linux.<p>I acknowledge that this alone doesn't guarantee my privacy, but I refuse to make it <i>easy</i> for corporations to rifle through my personal documents and watch me like a hawk.<p>Aside from that, I object to having a "free" upgrade option shoved down my throat so often and aggressively that I've got to hack the registry to shut it up. It's clear that Microsoft <i>still</i> doesn't give a damn about what I want as a user.
So, still no way to opt out.<p>I expected Microsoft to realize how much trust they've burned, and that the data from 5% of users who bother to change their settings aren't worth the bad PR. As a result, I expected that after however long it takes for a big company to react to feedback, they'll do an about-face and try to salvage what they can. Seems like I was wrong (or they need another year or two to come to that conclusion).
As a user I don't feel save enough to trust my operating system with its word, that if I'm going to dissable shit it stays off. I'm still on Win 7 and still sometimes don't feel sure, that it does what I say it should.
Oh finally, Microsoft tackled <i>NONE</i> of Windows 10's privacy problems. I can't believe the most common PC operating system in the world tracks you by default and prevents you from completely opting out.<p>If only Linux ran Overwatch as well as Windows does, I'd never boot this spyware again.
"commitment to your privacy with Windows", says the data collecting PRISM program member.<p>It's so surreal that there are no words for it anymore.
I'm using the O&O ShutUp desktop software to disable all of the invasive telemetry, phoning home, etc.:<p><a href="https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10" rel="nofollow">https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10</a><p>There's also a few scripts on GitHub like win10-unfuck:<p><a href="https://github.com/dfkt/win10-unfuck" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/dfkt/win10-unfuck</a>
I think this is great, they are pretty upfront with what they are collecting and why they need that<p>What's with all these negative comments here? Does any other os give you so much information about what is going on behind the scene?