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Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

zdnet.com

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Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#31

Post by ep103 »

nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

4. Install Latest Windows Updates

5. Find that these settings have been set back to enabled again.

6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 every Tuesday.

7. Discover MS is still sending data, regardless of your settings.

^^ The above is why.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#32

Post by kevin_b_er »

nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

And just what is being sent out at "basic" level?

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#33

Post by modzu »

nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

that's a bit disingenuous: the issue here is that even if you turn off activity tracking, activity is still tracked if you have error reporting enabled, a setting that is much less explicit about what it is collecting.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#34

Post by nickjj »

modzu wrote: post #33
nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

that's a bit disingenuous: the issue here is that even if you turn off activity tracking, activity is still tracked if you have error reporting enabled, a setting that is much less explicit about what it is collecting.

> A setting that is much less explicit about what it is collecting.

It's pretty explicit on what it's collecting given the article's context.

The linked article's tagline is:

> Microsoft baffles Windows 10 users by apparently collecting data about recently opened websites and apps when users have opted against sharing that information.

But if you look at the help text next to the radio button in the diagnostics settings it specifically says if you turn it on it will track which websites you visit (among other things).

There are other things that get tracked which is less explicit in the wording, but then again, you can set this to "basic" and then it's only anonymous data that gets sent.

If someone is serious about protecting their privacy and happens to be stuck using Windows, in my opinion it's their responsibility to at least look at the configuration options of Windows.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#35

Post by api »

fusl wrote: post #2

As far as everything on the internet tells me, GDPR was made for exactly this reason, to prevent this kind of data collecting without the users consent. But what is happening instead is that small companies, starrups, etc. are getting fucked over by the sheer amount of "rules" they have to follow and implement while large companies can get away with collecting everything and anything, leaking personal user data all o…

Regulation in general tends to be a regressive tax. Larger companies have the bureaucratic overhead to handle it and can also often lobby or litigate their way around it. If they do get tripped up they can pay the fines or hire lawyers. Smaller companies have neither the time nor the money to deal with regulatory complexity.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#36

Post by PhasmaFelis »

nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

Stopping an OS from collecting my data should not require research. If it's anything but a clear, comprehensive choice that you make when you install the OS and stays made forever, something is fucked.

> if you volunteer to use Windows, it's the price we have to pay for the time being.

I paid to use Windows.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#37

Post by guelo »

As a longtime Windows 7 fan that refused to upgrade until I finally bought a new laptop with it I have been absolutely shocked by Windows 10's aggressive user-hostility.

The way they reset settings after forced upgrades should be criminal.

The way the user has no control over certain Microsoft processes unless they have been lucky enough to be allowed to pay for a Group Policy Editor license should also be criminal.

The ads, the nags, the surveillance.

It is not an operating system I can use anymore. They have lost me for life. I'll be switching to Mac and Linux from here on out.

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#38

Post by nickjj »

ep103 wrote: post #31
nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

4. Install Latest Windows Updates 5. Find that these settings have been set back to enabled again. 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 every Tuesday. 7. Discover MS is still sending data, regardless of your settings. ^^ The above is why.

Those are shady steps taken by MS but I don't experience them with Windows 10 Pro. Maybe it's only isolated to Windows 10 Home?

I still double check all of my privacy settings after a major content patch, but so far so good. I keep nearly everything disabled too (basic diagnostics, limited access to my webcam / microphone, Cortana is disabled, no timeline, etc.).

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#39

Post by nickjj »

kevin_b_er wrote: post #32
nickjj wrote: post #30

I don't get it. This article and Reddit post is very misguided. Why are people upset that you're sending data to Microsoft if you enable the settings in Windows that specifically allow Microsoft to collect this data? Maybe I'm biased since I run Windows 10 Pro but you can simply turn off activity history and set your diagnostic settings to basic. Now your non-anonymous data won't be sent to MS (unless they are secret…

And just what is being sent out at "basic" level?

It's covered on Microsoft's website at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/privacy/basic-level....

Whether or not their documentation is exhaustive is another issue, but they do at least provide non-ambiguous wording on what's being collected. There's also other links to see what's collected using full instead of basic (check the sidebar).

Re: Is Windows 10 still telling what you're doing even if you don't want it to?

#40

Post by tvanantwerp »

nickjj wrote: post #38
ep103 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

4. Install Latest Windows Updates 5. Find that these settings have been set back to enabled again. 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 every Tuesday. 7. Discover MS is still sending data, regardless of your settings. ^^ The above is why.

Those are shady steps taken by MS but I don't experience them with Windows 10 Pro. Maybe it's only isolated to Windows 10 Home? I still double check all of my privacy settings after a major content patch, but so far so good. I keep nearly everything disabled too (basic diagnostics, limited access to my webcam / microphone, Cortana is disabled, no timeline, etc.).

I deploy Windows 10 Enterprise and I routinely see the goofiest of settings set back to defaults.
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