Asus RT-AC88U (and possibly more)

[Minomine]

Asus has let Trend Micro strip the vast majority of the selling points of the RT-AC88U. If you do not share your personal information with Trend, you lose functionality such as AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, Apps Analyzer, AdaptiveQoS/Game Boost/Game IPS, and web history. I’ve attached a screenshot of the Trend Micro EULA notice that came with the most recent firmware update 3.0.0.4.384_21045-gb451ba1 (was not on the previous firmware). There’s also the following text if you withdraw your privacy consent:


Administration - ASUS NOTICE (for privacy)

Please note that users are required to agree to share information before using DDNS, Remote Connection (ASUS Router APP、Lyra APP、AiCloud、AiDisk), AiProtection, Traffic analyzer, Apps analyzer, Adaptive QoS, Game Boost/Game IPS and Web history. At any time, users can search for the contents of the terms at this page or stop sharing the information with other parties by choosing Withdraw.


Here are the URLs listed in the screenshot as well:


Privacy Policy: https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/about/legal/privacy-policy-product.html

Privacy and Personal Data Collection Disclosure: https://success.trendmicro.com/data-collection-disclosure


To me, this seems to be getting ridiculous. I bought this router originally because of features like AiProtection, and Adaptive QoS. Now suddenly I can’t use these unless I want to give Trend a virtual tour around anything I look up online...

 

[x509]

Asus has let Trend Micro strip the vast majority of the selling points of the RT-AC88U. If you do not share your personal information with Trend, you lose functionality such as AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, Apps Analyzer, AdaptiveQoS/Game Boost/Game IPS, and web history. I’ve attached a screenshot of the Trend Micro EULA notice that came with the most recent firmware update 3.0.0.4.384_21045-gb451ba1 (was not on the previous firmware). There’s also the following text if you withdraw your privacy consent:


Administration - ASUS NOTICE (for privacy)

Please note that users are required to agree to share information before using DDNS, Remote Connection (ASUS Router APP、Lyra APP、AiCloud、AiDisk), AiProtection, Traffic analyzer, Apps analyzer, Adaptive QoS, Game Boost/Game IPS and Web history. At any time, users can search for the contents of the terms at this page or stop sharing the information with other parties by choosing Withdraw.


Here are the URLs listed in the screenshot as well:


Privacy Policy: https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/about/legal/privacy-policy-product.html

Privacy and Personal Data Collection Disclosure: https://success.trendmicro.com/data-collection-disclosure


To me, this seems to be getting ridiculous. I bought this router originally because of features like AiProtection, and Adaptive QoS. Now suddenly I can’t use these unless I want to give Trend a virtual tour around anything I look up online...

This product may be in violation of the new European General Data Privacy Regulation. ASUS is probably clueless here. (I just went through an awful-awful RMA experience with them for a motherboard. No more ASUS products for me!)

So what's up with Trend Micro? Dunno.