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Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

schneier.com

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Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#41

Post by bloopernova »

foobarbaz33 wrote: post #28

More firm than ever in my decision to store bookmarks in a simple, grep-able text file.

I like Firefox's bookmarks. You can add tags to each bookmark, which can make sorting and finding them much easier.

I also use a default bookmark folder, so all new bookmarks just go into that one folder, with the most recent at the top of the folder. That means I'm relying more on the position, tags, and naming to find a bookmark, rather than a position in a hierarchy.

I keep meaning to research how to extract/sync from the SQLite database that Firefox uses for bookmarks. I feel like there's a lot of unexplored personal value to one's bookmarks and history.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#42

Post by dandanua »

bloopernova wrote: post #41
foobarbaz33 wrote: post #28

More firm than ever in my decision to store bookmarks in a simple, grep-able text file.

I like Firefox's bookmarks. You can add tags to each bookmark, which can make sorting and finding them much easier. I also use a default bookmark folder, so all new bookmarks just go into that one folder, with the most recent at the top of the folder. That means I'm relying more on the position, tags, and naming to find a bookmark, rather than a position in a hierarchy. I keep meaning to research how to extract/sync…

Firefox bookmarks tagging is a killer feature for me. I even bookmark some local files through it. Too bad it doesn't work on mobile.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#43

Post by zamadatix »

kop316 wrote: post #36
concinds wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As of Windows 10 (haven't tried on 11) it asks if you want to log in with a single app, or the whole user account. I think that's great. Contrast that with Apple, that forces you to login to iCloud (and link your computer's serial with your iCloud account) whenever you log in to the App Store, and requires an Apple ID to download free apps from the App Store, AND enables all iCloud sync options on by default whenever…

Hmm...I'll have to look into this, thanks! I did not see an option for that that was obvious to me.

Can confirm it's the same on 11 as well, "No, sign in to this app only" is the trick https://i.imgur.com/hm8tR9k.png. If you're using a personal account for the sign in I don't think the checkbox towards the top is there but otherwise the window is the same.

As is right now I have a local unlinked windows account, a work account signed into Office, and a personal account signed into the store.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#44

Post by Mikeb85 »

hdjjhhvvhga wrote: post #3

If true, I don't understand how this is surprising. Google has been using all possible tactics to convince users to give them ("sync") all their data, including bookmarks and passwords. So from the point of view of Nadella, why should MS be any different?

Google has been far more trustworthy. Is there any evidence they do anything with your data except match it to ads via algorithm?

I've had Hotmail accounts hacked back in the day, never happened with Gmail. MS is insidious in trying to keep squeezing more from you and automatically adding your account to everything. Google just gives me useful stuff, and even takes away all ads on the products I've paid for. With MS there's still ads in paid products.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#45

Post by _trampeltier »

mobilemidget wrote: post #24

I believe they scrape all links pasted in Skype conversations too

Everybody scrape all links. Mostly for the preview function. Just s3nd a unique url with some messengers or mail and look at the serverlogs.

Thats also a reason to use even a simple login.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#47

Post by bloopernova »

dandanua wrote: post #42
bloopernova wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like Firefox's bookmarks. You can add tags to each bookmark, which can make sorting and finding them much easier. I also use a default bookmark folder, so all new bookmarks just go into that one folder, with the most recent at the top of the folder. That means I'm relying more on the position, tags, and naming to find a bookmark, rather than a position in a hierarchy. I keep meaning to research how to extract/sync…

Firefox bookmarks tagging is a killer feature for me. I even bookmark some local files through it. Too bad it doesn't work on mobile.

What I'd like to be able to do is unify the tags between Firefox and my Emacs org-roam/org-mode data. I think it could be useful to be able to see a view of which bookmarks have the same tags as the document I'm viewing, and vice-versa. Plus a timeline of tags/bookmarks/documents/pages could further bring to light some relationships between information. For instance, "around the time I was writing lots of stuff about AWS IAM roles, I bookmarked these pages, read these sites, browsed these tags".

It's only a half-formed idea and unfortunately it'd require both lots of Emacs elisp work and an extension in Firefox.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#48

Post by lostlogin »

itronitron wrote: post #27

Anyone know if this sort of thing happens with enterprise users of Microsoft? Exfiltrating user data would create a shitstorm at one of my previous employers.

I wonder what Microsoft would think of all their employee bookmarks being uploaded?

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#49

Post by gbrindisi »

bloopernova wrote: post #47
dandanua wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firefox bookmarks tagging is a killer feature for me. I even bookmark some local files through it. Too bad it doesn't work on mobile.

What I'd like to be able to do is unify the tags between Firefox and my Emacs org-roam/org-mode data. I think it could be useful to be able to see a view of which bookmarks have the same tags as the document I'm viewing, and vice-versa. Plus a timeline of tags/bookmarks/documents/pages could further bring to light some relationships between information. For instance, "around the time I was writing lots of stuff about…

I wanted to do the same, and in the end gave up in favour of a simpler approach: I drop the bookmarks in my notes, I can tag as I please, less moving parts and it's easier to search. But I would still like to see someone figuring this out!

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#50

Post by Tagbert »

bloopernova wrote: post #41
foobarbaz33 wrote: post #28

More firm than ever in my decision to store bookmarks in a simple, grep-able text file.

I like Firefox's bookmarks. You can add tags to each bookmark, which can make sorting and finding them much easier. I also use a default bookmark folder, so all new bookmarks just go into that one folder, with the most recent at the top of the folder. That means I'm relying more on the position, tags, and naming to find a bookmark, rather than a position in a hierarchy. I keep meaning to research how to extract/sync…

You can export your FF bookmarks to an html file and you can backup your FF bookmarks to a json file.
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