Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#1

Post by thg » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 10:31 AM UTC

Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?
schneier.com

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#2

Post by johmue » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:09 PM UTC

the big companies need to go away don't they?

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#3

Post by hdjjhhvvhga » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:09 PM UTC

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?

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#4

Post by vadfa » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:09 PM UTC

One more reason not to log in using your Microsoft account at all.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#5

Post by 1cvmask » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:15 PM UTC

From the article:

Has this happened to anyone else, or was this user error of some sort? If this is real, can some reporter write about it?

(Not that “user error” is a good justification. Any system where making a simple mistake means that you’ve forever lost your privacy isn’t a good one. We see this same situation with sharing contact lists with apps on smartphones. Apps will repeatedly ask, and only need you to accidentally click “okay” once.)

EDITED TO ADD: It’s actually worse than I thought. Edge urges users to store passwords, ID numbers, and even passport numbers, all of which get uploaded to Microsoft by default when synch is enabled.

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But Microsoft at their build conference said they are a woke corporation:

https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1456344147103653889

Or maybe the performative art of being a woke altruistic corporation is the subterfuge for being evil.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#6

Post by Mountain_Skies » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:23 PM UTC

Happened to me about a week ago. When I opened the browser, a notification popped up telling me "Your bookmarks are now being synced". There was an option to turn this off, which I did, but I have to assume that the bookmarks were already sent off to Microsoft.

There's nothing remarkable in my bookmarks. I've never really found it to be a useful tool beyond a way of marking things I want to check out again soon. I don't use it for day to day links. I do recall going through this with Chrome and Firefox in the past when they pushed syncing as a huge wonderful benefit for me and I had no interest at all. I'm sure some people have bookmarks as part of their personal workflow and are grateful to have this syncing ability for multiple devices. That's great for them but all vendors need a very strick opt-in policy, not a "we're so sure you're going to love this that we turned it on for you" scheme.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#7

Post by marginalia_nu » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:46 PM UTC

vadfa wrote: post #4

One more reason not to log in using your Microsoft account at all.

Sucks that Windows forcibly pairs your local account and Microsoft account every once in a while with no opt-out.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#8

Post by tiborsaas » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 1:53 PM UTC

johmue wrote: post #2

the big companies need to go away don't they?

To a country where they can continue doing the same thing?

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#9

Post by silverpepsi » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 2:06 PM UTC

Seems a bit late to make hoopla about a much more minor infraction.

With Onedrive I'm facing the nightmare that you are not allowed to configure it until syncing is in progress. If you pause syncing immediately on install, you're not allowed to change settings to prevent said syncing from happening.

I have a mix of personal and business data on there. This has been the case for a few years now but recently got worse. Basically, I don't want my hard drive contaminated with this data when going through customs, that's why I am traveling with a FRESHLY FORMATTED AND REINSTALLED laptop. And what does MS do? Coerce me into all this data's metadata touching down on a drive I have no intention of ever letting touch it. Makes my blood boil. It's a well documented fact these idiots in customs will infringe your privacy for shits and giggles and harass you about stuff that has nothing to do with any valid legal concern. Thanks Microsoft.

Re: Is Microsoft Stealing People’s Bookmarks?

#10

Post by mgh2 » Sat, Nov 20, 2021, 2:20 PM UTC

1cvmask wrote: post #5

From the article: Has this happened to anyone else, or was this user error of some sort? If this is real, can some reporter write about it? (Not that “user error” is a good justification. Any system where making a simple mistake means that you’ve forever lost your privacy isn’t a good one. We see this same situation with sharing contact lists with apps on smartphones. Apps will repeatedly ask, and only need you to ac…

All companies play politics to gain customer's hearts and minds ($$$). All FAANGs play this game masterfully.