Microsoft Introduces New Windows 10 Privacy Settings to Address Spying Claims

[Jack]

Microsoft has often been criticized for the privacy settings it implemented in Windows 10, with many users and privacy advocates accusing the firm of trying to spy on its customers with the operating system.

Starting with Windows 10 Creators Update preview build 15019, Microsoft is introducing new options in the setup experience that are specifically supposed to address these claims, as part of a broader plan that was announced by Windows boss Terry Myerson earlier this month.

Specifically, the new privacy controls are displayed in the setup screen to give users more control over their privacy from the very beginning, with Microsoft aiming at offering a similar experience to everyone with the release of the Creators Update in April.

Changes in this build
This build officially removes the Express settings, but the company says that users would get a different configuration of their privacy options based on the version they are upgrading from.

“If you are moving from Windows 7 or Windows 8, or doing a fresh install of Windows 10, the new set up experience will clearly show you simple but important settings and you will need to choose your settings before you can move forward with setup. If you are already using Windows 10, we will use notifications to prompt you to choose your privacy settings,” Myerson announced earlier this month.

Read more: Microsoft Introduces New Windows 10 Privacy Settings to Address Spying Claims

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Too late. Microsoft is only doing this now because it's worried about lawsuits.

They could of been more transparent from the start. They could of offered a way to turn off all telemetry in all editions of Windows 10.

Now only when money is on the line do they react. Not impressed by MS behavior.

 

[tim one]

Good move but It would be useful to say that also the previous builds were offered the customization of some privacy options during setup.
But often the user click "next" accepting the default settings.

 

[Andytay70]

I don't trust them!
They lied in the past about data collection, So how do we know if they are telling the truth?

 

[KGBagent47]

I'm still annoyed you can't turn off cortana

 

[tim one]

I'm still annoyed you can't turn off cortana

Not sure now but some time ago I had disabled Cortana (can't remember with which hack) but I had missed the search function...not good action then .

 

[Paul123]

Not enough, but a step in the right direction at least

I'm still annoyed you can't turn off cortana

Like @tim one I turned off Cortana ages ago and can't remember how now. She was a resource hog and my machine runs much smoother without her. I can still search through my programs though by typing letters, just not the rest of the disk which is not a great loss.

 

[KGBagent47]

Like @tim one I turned off Cortana ages ago and can't remember how now. She was a resource hog and my machine runs much smoother without her. I can still search through my programs though by typing letters, just not the rest of the disk which is not a great loss.[/QUOTE]

Here look at how much RAM this stupid thing is wasting

I know it's possible to turn it off but I don't want to force that. I want Windows to give us the option.

 

[Evjl's Rain]

the simplest and safest way to disable cortana is to use process lasso or kaspersky's application control
It's very effective. I don't lose my search function

 

[tim one]

Like @tim one I turned off Cortana ages ago and can't remember how now. She was a resource hog and my machine runs much smoother without her. I can still search through my programs though by typing letters, just not the rest of the disk which is not a great loss.

And by admitting that you can still get rid of Cortana, probably it will be reactivated because of future updates.

 

[toto]

I'm still annoyed you can't turn off cortana

Cortana can be easily disabled from the group policy editor, if you have at least the pro version of windows 10. If you want I can guide you how to disable it. Though because of the search function you always have a process called cortana running in task manager.

 

[uncle bill]

I don't trust them!
They lied in the past about data collection, So how do we know if they are telling the truth?

You can't.

 

[Andytay70]

I'm still annoyed you can't turn off cortana

You can turn cortana off but remember MS renamed search to Cortana!

 

[Wave]

Cortana and Cortana Background Host will also have themselves restart if the user terminates either of them... I see Microsoft are liking the script kiddie approach. @tim one

 

[Paul123]

I want Windows to give us the option.

I seem to remember in my dim memory that it used too when Windows 10 first came out, but they removed the option.