Windows 10 a privacy nightmare: Electronic Freedom Frontier

Started by quiller, August 29, 2016, 10:37:59 PM

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quiller

For those of you who got tricked into accepting Windows 10, you're not alone. The prestigious Electronic Freedom Frontier takes a hard look at Microsoft's "malicious" pattern of deception.

QuoteThe trouble with Windows 10 doesn't end with forcing users to download the operating system. Windows 10 sends an unprecedented amount of usage data back to Microsoft, particularly if users opt in to "personalize" the software using the OS assistant called Cortana. Here's a non-exhaustive list of data sent back: location data, text input, voice input, touch input, webpages you visit, and telemetry data regarding your general usage of your computer, including which programs you run and for how long.

While we understand that many users find features like Cortana useful, and that such features would be difficult (though not necessarily impossible) to implement in a way that doesn't send data back to the cloud, the fact remains that many users would much prefer not to use these features in exchange for maintaining their privacy.

And while users can disable some of these settings, it is not a guarantee that your computer will stop talking to Microsoft's servers. A significant issue is the telemetry data the company receives. While Microsoft insists that it aggregates and anonymizes this data, it hasn't explained just how it does so. Microsoft also won't say how long this data is retained, instead providing only general timeframes. Worse yet, unless you're an enterprise user, no matter what, you have to share at least some of this telemetry data with Microsoft and there's no way to opt-out of it.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/08/windows-10-microsoft-blatantly-disregards-user-choice-and-privacy-deep-dive

Solar

I read a post by a Microsucks developer, warning that regardless of what you choose, Win 10 will be on every computer using Windows.
He explained that every tiny update was being designed to rewrite every Win OS and force it to update to what will essentially be Win 10, despite what your OS states is it's base, they will all be Win 10.

He explained the only way to stop the change was to never do another Win download, but that eventually your OS will be inoperative, or unable to run certain progs. used regularly.
He was right, I tried to stop all updates two years back, but started having issues, small ones at first, that eventually led to headaches, so bad, I was forced to relent.
There is really only one option, Linux.
For me, it really doesn't matter, everything I do and write is on the forum anyway, so for me it's kind of an "In your Face" type move, but if I were young, I'd be really pissed and paranoid, knowing everything I say and do is forever, record of the State.
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quiller

I admit up front that I am not a geek and am offering this link solely to those folks who are. It's from the reliable MajorGeeks.com (a site I've successfully used for years) and it centers on how to insulate your computer from the dreaded Windows 10.

Can anyone explain the areas they clean, without me downloading and actually DOING what are checked in that sample window? Is this what will help avoid the situation Solar describes above? (And no, Linux is not my option.)

http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/disable_windows_10_telemetry_and_more_with_winpurify.html

supsalemgr

Quote from: quiller on September 01, 2016, 04:51:36 AM
I admit up front that I am not a geek and am offering this link solely to those folks who are. It's from the reliable MajorGeeks.com (a site I've successfully used for years) and it centers on how to insulate your computer from the dreaded Windows 10.

Can anyone explain the areas they clean, without me downloading and actually DOING what are checked in that sample window? Is this what will help avoid the situation Solar describes above? (And no, Linux is not my option.)

http://www.majorgeeks.com/news/story/disable_windows_10_telemetry_and_more_with_winpurify.html

I got a new laptop earlier this year and it had to have Windows 10. I do not like it as there are frequent updates that take forever to load. My IT guy says Microsoft is just looking for ways to control each machine.
"If you can't run with the big dawgs, stay on the porch!"

quiller

Quote from: supsalemgr on September 01, 2016, 09:33:35 AM
I got a new laptop earlier this year and it had to have Windows 10. I do not like it as there are frequent updates that take forever to load. My IT guy says Microsoft is just looking for ways to control each machine.

It's my understanding that everything on your computer will be stored on (or is it in?) "the cloud," a lovely way of saying you'll have no privacy at all, no matter how many lies Microshaft tells you.

Moral of the story: work offline on a machine not even connected. Save nothing on the machine itself and never store passwords or email addresses.

Hoofer

I just installed WIN 10 on my 2nd machine.  Right in the beginning of the install, you have a choice - to turn off all that data collection, automatic "cloud storage" stuff.  My first laptop I did realize it, and it's slower.  The second laptop, I was looking for it, did the custom install, and I kid you not, it was a page and a half of "switches" to set "off".   Guess which machine runs faster.

All the rest of my machines are WIN 8.0... which I like, and have had no problems running.  I still can't see where WIN 10 is an improvement.
None of these machines are on the Internet, unless we plug them in to an Internet enabled device.

BTW, the data collection of WIN 10 is SPELLED OUT CLEARLY in the EULA... and for each toggle you set.

If you decide to roll your machine back to WIN 8.0, get all the updates and that's it, you're done, that's it.... turn off the "migrate to WIN 10 reminder" and not be bothered again. 

(... this message was composed on a Celeron machine running WIN 8...  which cold boots in <12 seconds to the start screen & maps to 4 partitions / drives on 2 servers...)
All animals are created equal; Some just take longer to cook.   Survival is keeping an eye on those around you...