see full reportMicrosoft doesn't see Windows 10's mandatory data collection as a privacy risk
Exec says telemetry data is key to improving the operating system
A Surface Pro 3 running Windows 10
Credit:
Blair Hanley Frank
IDG News Service Oct 23, 2015 12:11
In the run-up to the launch of Windows 10 earlier this year, users noticed that Microsoft's operating system would be collecting more data on them by default than it had in the past, including information about their location and what they're typing, and sending it off to Microsoft.
Understandably, some folks were concerned about the privacy implications of such a move, especially given disclosures around government surveillance, and the fact that Microsoft previously hadn't built this kind of data collection into its operating system.
Those concerns weren't helped by Microsoft, which was slow to clarify exactly what it takes from users and how to disable much of that collection. It's possible for users to opt out of things like the contact and calendar tracking through Microsoft that Cortana uses to provide its personal assistant services, but people who use Windows 10's express settings will toggle them on immediately.
Windows 10 also currently requires that all users hand over some information about how their devices are being used -- what Microsoft calls basic telemetry. That information relates to things like when and how Windows 10 crashes, and Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore said in an interview that the company needs that information to improve the experience of using its operating system.
"And 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," he said.
I'm more concerned about it using my capped data which I pay for along with the new update direction they've chosen. I pay for my data usage, not MS. I should be able to decide what uses my data.
..........really? What a cliche these days!Ecosystem
Don't you just love the terminology used by MS staff when interviewed?!"walks by interviewer whistling dixie"
Didn't know you could even classify MS as being environmentally sound with the exception of their hardware division. Typically that would fall under user as far as what happens to wore out MS gear be it a mouse, keyboard, Surface or Surface Pro tablet, Windows Phone, etc.
Don't know when technology crossed over to being an "ecosystem" but sure do see that meme a lot these days. Must be the millennials or something.
I think some of these people must see some terms as "HIP" while they don't actually fit into things being discussed too well do they? You always end up trying to decipher the slang in that sense.
As for the Express settings seen during the last portion of the 10 set up stages most will simply click right on ahead without paying much attention to that. One blog slamming MS back in August alledged that MS was using that as the opportunity to share your bandwidth to float updates around the web as well as the privacy issues and suggested going in and disabling things. There are actually two screens seen when clicking on the Custom options and nothing on the second should be any concern for anyone. The first saw those four turned off one being a sharing switch. Another was for collecting URLs and allowing advertisers blah blah blah also found in the Settings>Privacy section seeing the exact same four switches there.
Thought these MS people at least understood English and what words mean: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ecosystem
Guess Windows 10 is a living organism now. I can only assume they are using the dumb downed kids definition.
Haven't you ever heard the term "Windows Live"? Some at MS must get so carried away that they actually may start to believe that Windows is a living thing!" look at our baby!"
Digital ecosystem - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaecosystem
This term as been used for decades in the computer/tech industry.
The expression used in the article lacked "Digital" which would clear things up for the reader! The author should have picked up on that.
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