Windows 10 Privacy

[Locke]

I'm surprised we don't have a thread for this yet. Several concerns have risen around the internet regarding some of Windows 10's new privacy policies and features. Might as well just lump them into one thread.

First off, we have this little claim in the services agreement (covering use of services like Cortana, Skype, and Xbox Live):

We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices.

Which garnered this reaction. I find the victimization of pirates quite humorous.

Second, there's the weird Wi-Fi Sense feature, which gives your contacts access to your router. The issue here being that if you opt-out, then your contacts can give access to their contacts. I feel like it'd be pretty simple to fix this. It seems like an otherwise useful feature.

And then there's all the other settings which send various data to Microsoft and others.

What do you think; are these too invasive, or are they necessary evils to enable a more personalized and streamlined experience?

 

[Spiritual Mask Salesman]

Which garnered this reaction. I find the victimization of pirates quite humorous.

This is hilarious, it's illegal activity anyway but of course they would be mad that they can't play pirated versions of things.

 

[Terminus]

**** them. They're sticking their nose in my personal data. The only reason I upgraded was because I'm going to need DirectX 12 support for games in the future. I swear if I start seeing native advertisements on my desktop with an option to pay to turn them off I'm installing Linux.

 

[Locke]

Microsoft posted a Privacy FAQ. It seems pretty detailed. There's a section on Wi-Fi Sense.

 

[Polychrome]

Nothing has changed since windows 8.

The whole deal is in relation to the windows store (where you can buy software or download freeware). Basically, if somebody takes someone else's software and attempts to post it in the windows store as their own, they can revoke, refund, and remove it because it was purchased there. It's no different from when the same thing happens on iOS or Android.

It has nothing to do with scanning your computer for software you may have torrented, and I doubt they can determine what is legit or not from there anyway. It's all based on your account. If somebody tried to post someone else's software as their own on the official windows store, and you downloaded it not knowing what it was, it can be removed.

 

[Kylo Ken]

Well, I still got my SNES emulator.

 

[Emma]

There are a number of butt spelunking articles going around on the PC site circuit claiming that Microsoft has no intention of abusing the information they're gathering so people shouldn't have to worry! Well of course Microsoft is absolutely not going to abuse this information they're gathering themselves! But anyone that thinks for a second that the US government agencies like the NSA are not drooling at the thought of it has an incredibly short memory. If they recall agencies like this forced companies like Microsoft to give them access to this kind of data before. All the best of intentions are no excuse for this level of spying and there is always some group out there that will look to abuse it.

Fortunately one of the names in the privacy and security business cares about us and isn't letting Microsoft just get away with it. Safer Networking, creators of Spybot Search and Destroy, a very popular anti-malware/anti-spyware program, created Spybot Anti-Beacon which blocks Microsoft's attempts to harvest your data in Windows 10. Even though it was meant for Windows 10, Microsoft's attempts to force telemtry on 8 and 7 means they updated Anti-Beacon to block it on Windows 7 and 8 too. So everyone running Windows 7 through 10 should get it.