Microsofts Ever Increasing Data Collection

Now I know I am probably fairly alone in this, but I truly hate data collection. Without going in to all the reasons why, which is slightly besides the point, I am perplexed by Microsoft's latest change in Windows10.
Diagnostics and Feedack used to be configurable to off. Now you can't do that, best you can do is select Basic. You can, however, set a registry dword, AllowTelemetry, that greys out the selection, but I have noticed that it doesn't actually stop data collection. It just stops you choosing which type you want. Greyed out it may be, stopped it is not. Does anyone know how to completely stop it?

Brink said:

Hello Dave,

If you like, you could use step 3 in Option Four below to set feedback frequency to "Never".

Change Feedback Frequency in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Thank you, I guess it will be some time before I can say if it worked!!

You don't want to stop data collection. This helps Microsoft resolve issues/errors and helps them to create a more stable operating environment, and push fixes in a timely manner.

flybynite said:

You don't want to stop data collection. This helps Microsoft resolve issues/errors and helps them to create a more stable operating environment, and push fixes in a timely manner.

It's not a good idea to get me started on the subject of data collection.

I absolutely do not care what Microsoft thinks it needs or wants. I paid for my operating system and I do not expect it to spy on me, for whatever reason, unless I give them permission, and the fact that they don't ask for permission makes me very angry indeed. The problem is that you really don't have any choice in the matter other than not installing windows, which for most people is not a choice at all.
The simple fact is that 1984 has actually come true. The only real difference is that people allowed it to happen rather than being forced.
I am very concerned about the way companies just seem to think they have a right to know everything about you.
Secondly I absolute hate targetted advertising! I noticed this with games in particular on Steam. It keeps trying to sell me games based on the results of various algorithms. The problem I have with this is that it ONLY presents me with those games, so it is in effect guiding down a path of it's own choosing. Youtube does the same. You watch one video about this and that and it stereotypes you and presents you with only what it thinks you will like. And sometimes I find that disturbingly wrong. Watch a particular news channel and you are suddenly present with nothing but far right wing videos. Watch a video about space and you are suddenly find yourself wandering in to alien conspiracy theories. I really just wish they would offer the option to opt out of this force-feeding. I mean this is a cross between 1984 and The Minority Report. How much longer before computers decide you need to be monitored in case you are a terrorist? Well, actually, in some countries that's not that far away. Let's hope their algorithms are better than Amazons.

lehnerus2000 said:

You're not alone.

Only a "very special type of person" thinks that corporations stealing user's Intellectual Property is a good idea.


You might be able to block it using the firewall in your router.

The surefire way, is to disconnect W10 from all networks.
An additional bonus is that MS can't "bork" your installation with its dodgy updates/upgrades.

After the 1709 failed install debacles, I restored my W10 1703 (Home & Pro VM) installs and severed their network access.
They've run flawlessly ever since.

Note:
My laptop dual boots Linux Mint 18.3 & W10 Home (1703).
My W10 Pro VM (1703) runs on Linux Mint 18.3 using VMware Player.

Yes, I actually don't think the changes work any more. I have one PC where most of the changes are already set and that reported an error to Microsoft yesterday. I think all these changes now just remove your choices but they don't actually stop the data being sent.
Microsoft are absolutely determined to get your data and they seem completely unwilling to allow anyone to opt out.
I must confess that over the past five years or so Microsoft have gone from a what I considered to be a great company to utterly untrustworthy now. If there was another really viable operating system out there I would jump on it. As a matter of course I will not buy or use anything from Microsoft any more other than Windows itself.