Microsoft Admits Windows 10 Automatic Spying Cannot Be Stopped

[JMH]

Last week changes to the Windows 10 upgrade path mean it is going to become increasingly difficult for any non-techy users to avoid being pushed to Microsoft’s new operating system. But given Windows 10 is better than Windows 7 and Windows 8, why would that be a problem? Because of policies like this…

Speaking to PC World, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore explained that Windows 10 is constantly tracking how it operates and how you are using it and sending that information back to Microsoft by default. More importantly he also confirmed that, despite offering some options to turn elements of tracking off, core data collection simply cannot be stopped:

“In the cases where we’ve not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system,” he said. “In the case of knowing that our system that we’ve created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem and so not an issue of personal privacy, that today we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone.”

Forbes Welcome

 

[Digerati]

I cannot automatically call that sort of data collection "spying". I do understand some of the concerns but I don't buy the innuendos and implications that Microsoft is some evil empire spying on every aspect of its citizen's lives. Frankly, I trust Microsoft more than I do my ISP, and WAY MORE than I do my cell phone carrier and Android/Google who I know for a fact are tracking my every movement, call and the people I call or call me. And because I have real accounts with my ISP and cell phone carrier, they know my real name, my phone number and my actual street address.

Microsoft knows none of that, unless you specifically gave it to them. Even if you have location services on, they go to your ISP's POP (point of presence), not your street address. For me, my POP is the next town over! So, when I search for McDonald's locations in my area, it shows locations in the next town first. At best, it knows your zip code and no more.

Even my truck, when it pairs with my phone, calls home to report its status.

I note that Forbes author is typical of irresponsible IT press who sensationalize headlines to gain readers! IMO, it is people like him who are as much of the problem as the paranoid conspiracy theorist running around in tinfoil hats!

Note the original PC World article that he cites and bases his article on does NOT mention "spying" even once!