The Surveillance State Goes Mainstream: Windows 10 Is Watching (& Logging) Everything

zerohedge ^ | 08/02/2015 | Tyler Durden!

[867V309]

From the moment an account is created, Microsoft begins watching. The company saves customers' basic information - name, contact details, passwords, demographic data and credit card specifics - but it also digs a bit deeper... and finding answers is not easy, as one privacy expert exclaimed, "there is no world in which 45 pages of policy documents and opt-out settings split across 13 different Settings screens and an external website constitutes 'real transparency'."

[Intolerant in NJ]

From the moment an account is created, Microsoft begins watching...it's getting scary - wife and I went looking for a new oven last week - bought one in her name, on her credit card - by the time I went on to Drudge that evening the top of the page came up loaded with pictures and prices of ovens just like the ones we were shopping for that afternoon - Big Brother is watching for sure and Microsoft is only part of the problem....

[867V309]

Glad I did the custom install. Leaves you to wonder what else it might do.

The worst abuse is the hardest to find. Guaranteed.

[SandwicheGuy]

Based on what I just read, anything you have or do, from passwords to keystrokes, places visited and what was said, credit card info and more and more, is collected by those nice people. And shared with other parties and made available for a legal process.

Based on what I read, when I installed Windows 10 preview when it was first offered, is that Microsoft was trying a new approach and actually soliciting feedback from users in order to make Windows 10 as good as possible. They succeeded, every upgrade introduced new features, dropped others no one wanted, and rearranged the interface many time. The end result is wonderful.

Microsoft clearly said, in the user agreement, that this was a preview version and should not be used in a production environment because of all the information which was going to be collected. This collection would cease with the release version for the public. RTFM and quit spreading disinformation, it does you no credit.

[TXnMA]

FYI...

[Pearls Before Swine]

You don’t have to take the bait and use a MSFT account. I don’t.

I talked to one of my boys about it... they said that they thought that MSFT was doing it to please the customers who don’t think about security. If you set up the way they suggest, all of your photos and documents are available on every W10 computing device—laptop, tablet, phone—anywhere you go. Convenient, huh?

But, convenience has it’s price.

Less cynically, they are playing catchup to Apple and Google and Facebook in the social area. The payback for the storage they are giving you is the opportunity to push targeted ads at you.

[SandwicheGuy]

And for all the know-nothings on this thread, you are getting your internet browser confused with the operating system. There are many of both, the most popular being Chrome by Google and Windows by Microsoft. One runs the internet, the other the computer. When the World Wide Web started up, they were separate, but that did not last for long, each started elbowing in on the others action. But the functions remain the same. Browsers note what you are interested in, the OS notes how your computer is running and any trouble it is having.

This is all logged ON YOUR COMPUTER in log file and sometimes shared with the companies to make your browsing more convenient, and your computer more reliable. And yes, what you browse is commercially of interest. It is called knowing your customer.

[dynoman]

Thanks!

[Swordmaker]

Hurry, hurry! Come get your spyware now!

I was asking how they were going to monetize this. . . now we may know.

[VerySadAmerican]

Bingo! Windows 10 is nothing knew. “They” have been watching for decades. TVs have been watching us as we watch since the late 80s. Snowden warned us all and he said his biggest fear was people wouldn’t take it seriously. He was right.

[miliantnutcase]

They may gather that information if you don’t block it with your firewall.

[VerySadAmerican]

All the computer and software giants have been meeting in the white house and working on Obama’s campaigns. I still believe FB is a government “owned” operation. As I’ve said before, how many people would have jumped on FB if they knew it was owned and operated by the government? A few idiots would have but not as many as did.

And don’t forget, we ALL volunteered to carry cameras around with us at all times when we “had” to have cell phones. And the local cops can turn on your cell phone anytime they want. That was in the news here in Houston.

[ExTexasRedhead]

http://bgr.com/2015/07/31/windows-10-upgrade-spying-how-to-opt-out/

Opting out of Windows 10 garbage.

[virgil]

And it’s free too!

[867V309]

RTFM and quit spreading disinformation, it does you no credit.

First, you’ll want to open Settings and click on Privacy. There, you’ll find 13 different screens — yes, 13 — to go through, and you’ll want to disable anything that seems worrying. The blog notes that most of the important settings can be found on the General tab, though other tabs are important as well. For example, you’ll definitely want to adjust what types of data each app on your system can access.

And that's just the ones MS admits to.

[nascarnation]

Certainly no one on FR should worry about it. We’ve been on the “list” since the day we signed on.

[NoCmpromiz]

Mint is a fork of Ubuntu.. I have Mint running on both a desktop and on an older ex-WinXP laptop. I prefer the Mint Cinnamon desktop to the Ubuntu Unity.

Of course as it is in all things Linux, it’s a matter of personal preference.

Before you jump, download and burn the iso and boot from the DVD to live desktop. That will give you some idea, though slower since it’s off the dvd, of the flavor.

Only cost you the blank dvd to check it out.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Thank god we have Dyler Turden to keep us safe.

[VanShuyten]

“Beats me what they would do with the info they collect at this house. “

Welllll. To start off, you’re a FReeper.....

[WKTimpco]

What if you choose not to share anything, at installation as I did?

[Tom Bombadil]

Running Ubuntu then Mint for over 4 years now. Some issues now and then, but Mint is turn-key for basic stuff and there is no registry, no real license, no charge for upgrades, and believe it or not, even if you do need a command line string for some reason, a search usually brings one up.

Freedom day for me came when I installed Ubuntu and I have never looked back.