Microsoft finally reveals what data Windows 10 collects from your PC

Zarathustra[H]

Extremely [H]
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As we have reported on in the past, Microsoft has new privacy controls in the works in response to a lot of people being unhappy about the combination of Microsoft not letting people disable data collection in Windows 10 completely, and also not being transparent about what, exactly, they collect.

We now have more details, and confirmation that Microsoft is looking to implement these changes with the upcoming Creators Update on April 11th. Upon upgrade users will be presented with a new privacy dashboard screen in which Microsoft provides more detail about what data winds up being shared with each setting.

Instead of a string of screens when you first install the new version of Windows 10, Microsoft is putting all the key privacy settings on one screen. The dashboard you’ll see depends on whether you’re already running Windows 10 on your machine or setting up a new PC for the first time.
 
What operating system (besides linux.... maybe?) doesn't collect *any* information, or has an "all off" button? If M$ can shove it, who/what do you use?
You can block an ip or a small range on linux and its dealt with.
Try that on Windows.
They designed an OS for gathering user and usage data with extreme methods to make sure they receive that data.
 
What operating system (besides linux.... maybe?) doesn't collect *any* information, or has an "all off" button? If M$ can shove it, who/what do you use?

Windows 8.1
Windows 8
Windows 7
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Windows ME
Windows 2000
Windows 98
Windows NT 4.0
Windows 95
Windows NT 3.51
Windows NT 3.5
Windows for Workgroups 3.11
Windows 3.1
...etc...

Getting the picture? I don't care "what other operating systems collect", because they're not the ones running on my desktop PC.
 
From what I remember reading a while back in an article, sorry can't find a link. Is that they are collecting feature use data. Nothing that is tied to a person, just that is someone using the Win+X or Win+R key combinations. Things like that. Not where you are going and what you are doing. I might be wrong and the article might be wrong. Not defending the position, but apparently Windows 7 and Office did/does the same thing, it just wasn't something that people knew about.

I'm not defending the position at all, seems like some of it is just making a mountain out of a molehill. Privacy seems to be dead and the cat has been out of the bag for so long it is probably dead in another state. I also think it is worth it to try and pick up the carcase and toss it back in the bag. With all the personal data that Google, Facebook, ISP's and so on have with no real way to stop it. We're being spied on by everyone and the government isn't going to help because they don't know what they are doing nor do they care. Gotta find all those terrorists and all.
 
Neither does Windows 10. The steps to disable it are well documented: http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-disable-telemetry-and-data-collection-in-windows-10/

From the linked article:

"1. Basic
Basic information is data that is vital to the operation of Windows. This data helps keep Windows and apps running properly by letting Microsoft know the capabilities of your device, what is installed, and whether Windows is operating correctly. This option also turns on basic error reporting back to Microsoft. If you select this option, we'll be able to provide updates to Windows (through Windows Update, including malicious software protection by the Malicious Software Removal Tool), but some apps and features may not work correctly or at all."

The lowest level of spyware is still spyware.
 
Wow, the "basic " level alone has an unreal amount of detail. It basically logs every hardware or software change you have ever made on your computer and reports it to MS. Terrifying.

Yes, not being a programmer, I'll have to hold off until someone else analyzes the info and pairs it down to something I can more easily understand. Yes, I admit, I'm NOT smart enough to read through all of those triggers and hooks. But it seems like an awful damn lot of info collected.
 
Neither does Windows 10. The steps to disable it are well documented: http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-disable-telemetry-and-data-collection-in-windows-10/

"Well documented" yarite. Unofficial reghacks, manual hostfile entries or manually disabling services are all half-measures which cannot be relied upon since MS can undo them in the next forced update. Case in point, once Microsoft noticed people were blocking the 35+ telemetry domains in the hosts file, they hardcoded the telemetry connections to bypass the hosts file.

That kind of cat and mouse nonsense is anything but the OFF switch everyone's asking for, and the average user can't really be expected to start screwing with working-today, broken-tomorrow registry hacks just to regain privacy they should have by default.

There's really no defense for the lack of an Off switch unless you've completely got your head up MSFT's ass.
 
Exactly how is this a win for you? I mean, in 7, and 8.1, you don't have to take any steps. It just doesn't collect anywhere near as much data as 10 does by default.

I've been using cloud services forever, before Microsoft had much of them. I use OneNote, Cortana and Microsoft Accounts. It's pretty obvious by how these functions that is leveraging a LOT of personal data. Cortana will scan emails for shipping notices and set trackers for it automatically if you set that up. I get that some people do not like this stuff and they want off switches and I've never argued against that. It is possible to disable this stuff with a little reading but sure an in the box easy switch would be nice. I've left a lot of feedback with Microsoft on this issue.

But the world is full of this stuff, mobile devices would not be where there are without, leveraging personal data, telemetry, it's just not going anywhere, that ship sailed for better or for worse. There is a lot of capability that gets tied into this stuff, it's not going to just disappear unless it's flat out rejected at EVERY level, particularly mobile devices.
 
Why don't they just allow you to say "send no data to microsoft" again?

Yeah, google gather a lot of stuff, but you can do pretty much the same search on DuckDuckGo and get results, so there's a viable alternative. MS have a monopoly.

Queue that rabid MS fanboy that always pops up in these threads. I forget his name, but he thinks everything MS does is awesome.

edit: There he is, just above me. Heatlesssun
 
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I still want to see the outrage over the data Google collects from us, which is pretty much everything.

As a desktop user why should I care what Google does or doesn't collect? Google services are not required to run Windows, or any desktop OS.

I can use Firefox and avoid Google.com and any its websites, and continue to work/play without being spied upon.
I can use Chrome and visit Google.com and any of its websites, and then close Chrome and continue to work/play without being spied upon.
I cannot close Windows 10 and continue to work/play without being spied upon, since telemetry is baked into the core OS and you can't get away from it.
 
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"Well documented" yarite. Unofficial reghacks, manual hostfile entries or manually disabling services are all half-measures which cannot be relied upon since MS can undo them in the next forced update. Case in point, once Microsoft noticed people were blocking the 35+ telemetry domains in the hosts file, they hardcoded the telemetry connections to bypass the hosts file.

That kind of cat and mouse nonsense is anything but the OFF switch everyone's asking for, and the average user can't really be expected to start screwing with working-today, broken-tomorrow registry hacks just to regain privacy they should have by default.

There's really no defense for the lack of an Off switch unless you've completely got your head up MSFT's ass.
At this point, I wouldnt trust an "Off" button from them.

Luckily, only my gaming PC has this glorified NSA keylogger installed, moved the rest to Linux and OSX.
 
Why don't they just allow you to say "send no data to microsoft" again?

Their argument is that they need this data in order to fight bugs and security problems to patch the OS.

I don't buy it though. If they made it an option to disable it, most users would still leave it on, because they don't know any better. I can't imagine it would make a significant different.

The question is if you can firewall off the submission of data without losing access to things like Windows updates.
 
He doesnt think that is awesome, he and the other shill gets paid to say that everything is awesome.

Microsoft is paying me when I agree with those that say there should be an off switch for all telemetry? Seriously, if one is not going to bother to read what people are saying and instead just make it up, there's no way things will ever improve.
 
What sort of information do you think is sent back in WinXP, Win7, etc when a crash happens and it pops up with "send information to MS"?
 
Their argument is that they need this data in order to fight bugs and security problems to patch the OS.

I don't buy it though. If they made it an option to disable it, most users would still leave it on, because they don't know any better. I can't imagine it would make a significant different.

The question is if you can firewall off the submission of data without losing access to things like Windows updates.

Every developer on the planet has thought many times "Gee, if I only had more information it would be a lot easier to fix this bug that I can't reproduce on my own."
 
Microsoft is paying me when I agree with those that say there should be an off switch for all telemetry? Seriously, if one is not going to bother to read what people are saying and instead just make it up, there's no way things will ever improve.

+1 you aren't the only one heatlessun...

Agree with you completely, I think they could have done a better job to be transparent and easier understand and to disable.

I know working in IT, I have access to EVERY freaking workstation and a ton of data... How interested am I in that data outside of fixing an issue or improving something? None, I don't have the time to find those nudey pics mixed in all the funny cat pics. I am sure the same is over there.
 
i think that if a company offered a small rod in your ass vs a large rod in your ass and no option of no rod in your ass, you wouldn't deal with them.

my thoughts anyway.
 
What sort of information do you think is sent back in WinXP, Win7, etc when a crash happens and it pops up with "send information to MS"?
Probably much the same EXCEPT that with Win OS prior to 10, it asks you if you want to send. Win 10 just sends and then in some cases returns Advertising as a reward for your information.
 
What sort of information do you think is sent back in WinXP, Win7, etc when a crash happens and it pops up with "send information to MS"?

Difference there was you could see chunks of the data and decide whether or not to actually send it. Now you have zero say in the matter and have only Microsoft's word on what is being sent.
 
I still want to see the outrage over the data Google collects from us, which is pretty much everything.

Strawman. Gmail, Facebook, Amazon aren't fundamentally necessary in order for me to use the internet, so I can avoid them. I can even set up my machine to stop tracking cookies and the like, and the impact on my internet browsing experience would be pretty minimal.

Microsoft is in a different position because they're providing a necessary component of the computer's software. My computer is a brick if I don't have an OS on it, and most of my software is useless if that OS isn't Windows. They're in a position of significantly more power, so privacy violations on their part are a much more serious concern.

Also if W10 were a free product (it's not, even if it came with your laptop OEM, it's built into the price), then the user tracking might be a little more justifiable, at which point it would be up to the user to decide if the benefits it provides compensates giving up their data, as is the case with the other "free" services people always mention.
 
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Wow, the "basic " level alone has an unreal amount of detail. It basically logs every hardware or software change you have ever made on your computer and reports it to MS. Terrifying.
Bullshit. Like I've said in other places, I don't understand why people like you have a problem with diagnostic data. It can help solve problems and catch exploits before they become a zero-day that's spreading across the Internet like wildfire.

We're the first ones to criticise Microsoft when things go wrong such as when an exploit becomes big but when Microsoft is trying to make things better and more secure you still have a problem.
 
From what I remember reading a while back in an article, sorry can't find a link. Is that they are collecting feature use data. Nothing that is tied to a person, just that is someone using the Win+X or Win+R key combinations. Things like that. Not where you are going and what you are doing. I might be wrong and the article might be wrong. Not defending the position, but apparently Windows 7 and Office did/does the same thing, it just wasn't something that people knew about.

I'm not defending the position at all, seems like some of it is just making a mountain out of a molehill. Privacy seems to be dead and the cat has been out of the bag for so long it is probably dead in another state. I also think it is worth it to try and pick up the carcase and toss it back in the bag. With all the personal data that Google, Facebook, ISP's and so on have with no real way to stop it. We're being spied on by everyone and the government isn't going to help because they don't know what they are doing nor do they care. Gotta find all those terrorists and all.


Irrelevant. On my machine I AM GOD, i decide what data does.
 
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