Microsoft Forces Users to Review Windows 10 Privacy Settings

[SumG]

Windows 10 users who haven’t installed the Creators Update will soon be notified to review their privacy settings and to install the latest feature update to remain secure, Microsoft announced.

Microsoft has been criticized for its Windows 10 data collection practices, and the French National Data Protection Commission (CNIL) recently served the company a formal notice to stop collecting excessive user data. As a result, Creators Update addressed these concerns, and CNIL closed the formal notice last week.

Although it claimed the Windows 10 data collection was aimed at improving the overall user experience, Microsoft did listen to feedback and provided users with increased control over their privacy in Creators Update. Users can now set data collection to Basic or Full, depending on how much usage statics they want to share with Microsoft.

Microsoft is now using these changes to push Windows 10 users to review their privacy settings if they haven’t done so already. The company will provide users with the possibility to postpone the process up to five times, but the next prompt will ask them to confirm their privacy settings.

“Given the Windows 10 Creators Update provides the latest security protections to help keep you safe, we want to help update your device as soon as possible. […] you will have the opportunity to review your privacy settings before your device is eligible to take the Creators Update. If you have not already taken this update, starting this week, we will prompt you to review your privacy settings,” John Cable, Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, notes in a Friday blog post.

The update experience, Cable says, will not change, and users will be able to choose when they want to update to the Creators Update, once their devices are ready.

Updating to the Creators Update, Cable notes, ensures that Windows 10 users benefit from the latest security improvements and usability improvements available for them. In the light of the recent WannaCry and NotPetya outbreaks, it’s not surprising the tech company is playing the “stay secure” card, especially since the first version of Windows 10 is at end-of-service.

“While you can continue to use this version and your computer will still work, you will no longer receive the monthly quality updates that contain protection from the latest security threats. To remain secure your device should be updated to the latest feature update,” Cable notes.

The “latest feature update,” of course, is Windows 10 Creators Update, and Microsoft is taking steps to ensure users are more likely to update. The company will start notifying them if their devices need to be updated, Cable reveals.​

 

[ElectricSheep]

Been bombarded with 'privacy reminders' the last 2 or 3 weeks - keep postponing it cause I set it all up ages ago
It's just an annoyance now

 

[DeepWeb]

I have seen people on /r/Windows10 complain about this. "Oh my goodness! They are making me review my privacy settings and reboot my computer. So annoying." People are so lazy these days, it's incredible.

Or those people who say that Windows 7 is somehow more private because it doesn't have privacy settings. What kind of logic is that? The absence of privacy settings does not imply that apps or the OS respects your privacy.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I have seen people on /r/Windows10 complain about this. "Oh my goodness! They are making me review my privacy settings and reboot my computer. So annoying." People are so lazy these days, it's incredible.

Same about security, lazy people are accomplice of malware spreading.

Or those people who say that Windows 7 is somehow more private because it doesn't have privacy settings. What kind of logic is that? The absence of privacy settings does not imply that apps or the OS respects your privacy.

Exactly. i said it since ages. sadly short-thinking is everywhere.

 

[kamla5abi]

i had this pop up a few times over the last few weeks for an older laptop that is only used for browsing/ms office stuff
i kept deferring it (have setup privacy stuff already)
then eventually i got yet another pop up about reviewing privacy settings before updating to CU, but didn't have any option to defer it this time in the popup

so i tried alt+F4 combo, and it closed lol!

 

[BugCode]

So, here goes the "basic" privacy things,,,my mouse scrolling finger totally numb!
Tiny basic list <=Click

 

[ElectricSheep]

So, here goes the "basic" privacy things,,,my mouse scrolling finger totally numb!
Tiny basic list <=Click

That's quite a "basic" list...!!!

 

[AlexS989]

This Update Certainly Isnt Forced, but microsoft will go to ridiculous lengths to make you think it is. i just found out that microsoft pruposely installs malware to your pc to spam you with reminders and other notifications.

this same program will actually renable windows update in every way possible unless you disable it entirely in cmd.

how i even found out this program exists was because you can look at event viewer in windows/see what was launched where and discovered this disturbing program that i know i didnt install.

So if you want to get rid of the microsoft malware and just stop windows update entirely you can disable windows update entirely and kill the services with these commands in an elevated cmd.

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update" /v AUOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

this will disable windows update entirely.

sc config wuauserv start= disabled

and this disables the service so you will never be bothered again.

and on top of this if you have already downloaded it you will have to delete the updates from "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistributionfolder" after running the commands.

I hope this helped a lot of you, and thank you in advance ^u^

 

[boredog]

Never seen that popup yet.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

The absence of privacy settings does not imply that apps or the OS respects your privacy.

True that. I'm quite close to completing my total conversion of my home network to Debian and/or Linux Based environment so I am not privy to much Windows activity any longer. I will keep 3 gaming rigs on Windows Dual Boot systems, but the rest are pure Debian, SUSE, Linux or whatever. (being intentionally vague) All remaining laptops will be converted to Debian within 3 days so any device leaving the protected environment here will be either Debian, iOS or Android.

It should save me $$$ over the years since I won't have to play the security app game any longer except for a couple of machines. Now instead of 12 licenses needed for everything I buy I will need only 3. Also this will effectively harden my systems from even the most aggressive, well funded actors since I am running Debian in a high threat configuration.

 

[Entreri]

Win10 is good besides the privacy nightmare.

After x number of registry edits, my Win10 approximates Win7 privacy. I had to dial it down though, Win updates were not getting through.

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

Win10 is good besides the privacy nightmare.

After x number of registry edits, my Win10 approximates Win7 privacy. I had to dial it down though, Win updates were not getting through.

Its amazing to install Debian or some Linux Distros on a system, then have that system sit online for 2 hours and not see a single drop of internet activity or telemetry. Literally all day in some cases nothing - until a browser is loaded or whatever and the browser makes external calls.

Windows is far too chatty.. It needs to stop. All of this increases it's threat surface. They should be like Linux and only talk about when absolutely necessary.