Windows 10 Build 10525 Resets Privacy Settings, Changes Data Collection to “Full”

[Exterminator]

Content source

http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows-10-build-10525-resets-privacy-settings-changes-data-collection-to-full-489657.shtml

Users cannot disable data collection in this build
Microsoft pushed Windows 10 build 10525 to fast ring insiders a few days ago and since this release is part of the testing program started by the company in October 2014, feedback is all the software giant wants to receive in exchange for you to get early access to preview builds.

So because data collection is a must, build 10525 reset some privacy settings in Windows 10 and switches the data collection configuration to “full.”

While this might sound terrible for many of you, it's not, and what's even more important is that you basically agreed with it when you registered to be an insider. The Windows Insider program is all about feedback and if you block Microsoft from getting it, there's no reason to continue it.

What's the full mode?
In Windows 10, Microsoft is offering several diagnostic and usage data modes that allows you to send specific information to the company to troubleshoot problems, but also to help it improve its products.

There are three different modes, as it follows:

Basic – includes what Microsoft calls vital data for the operation of Windows, such as basic error reporting. You can thus receive fixes via Windows Updates and malicious software protection improvements, but the company warns that “some apps and features may not work correctly or at all.”

Enhanced – includes everything from the Basic mode and allows Microsoft to collect information about how frequently or how long you use apps in Windows, diagnostic information, app crashes information, and measure device reliability.

Full – includes pretty much everything and allows Microsoft to collect additional information from your device, such as system file and memory snapshots.

Who gets this information?
Obviously, Microsoft recommends everyone to stick to the full mode, but if you install build 10525 and whatever version comes after that, there's no option to change it. So you must agree with it, and it's supposed that you do because you already joined the program.

But the most important question is who sees the collected info? Microsoft says that its employees, contractors, vendors, and partners can access “portions of information” in order to improve their or Microsoft's products.

So yes, if you joined the Windows Insider program, some data will be collected from your computer and you can't change that. If you don't agree, there's always the option to leave the program and get back to 10240.

 

[NikolayfromRussia]

I really wonder why Microsoft doesn't let the users to keep their privacy. Why Windows 10 spies on the users? I don't want Microsoft to collect the data from my computer and send to their servers. Is it a new project of NSA, CIA to spies on users? F... .

 

[Oxygen]

It's pretty sad when you realize that most people "agreed" to the terms without even reading through it.

....but that's how most people are these days.

 

[Ink]

I really wonder why Microsoft doesn't let the users to keep their privacy. Why Windows 10 spies on the users? I don't want Microsoft to collect the data from my computer and send to their servers. Is it a new project of NSA, CIA to spies on users? F... .

It's an Insider build, it's not supposed to be used for privacy use. All the information is shown prior to "I Agree" on the Windows Insiders Program. Feedback is crucial to improve a product or service, and it's easy for the data to be sent back to Microsoft, rather than the user logging every error, via email.

If you don't want Microsoft to collect any data. Switch away from Windows, Bing, Cortana, Xbox and do not use Siri on iPhone.

 

[NikolayfromRussia]

If you don't want Microsoft to collect any data. Switch away from Windows, Bing, Cortana, Xbox and do not use Siri on iPhone.

You are right! I think it is time to work in Linux. I had a previous experience working in Mandriva in 2006. I don't play any games and don't run many programs/applications. So, the programs I need are also available for Linux. I don't want Uncle Sam to spy on me.

 

[jamescv7]

A typical user should not provide any dilemma cause we need an assurance that it can fix any updates as possible, that's why it makes the process more easier than before.

Of course if already a stable version then you may opt out that feature.

 

[NT Five]

Windows 10 = Spyware.

OSes should just be a GUI that allow you to select the programs you want to run.
Maybe they should include a firewall and other basic security stuff but nothing more.

I don't need garbage like Cortana, Live Tiles and all the other useless crap.

Will stick to XP until my last XP compatible hardware breaks and then I'll move to Linux or BSD and will never look back at Windows again.

XP still rocks...
It's the best OS Microsoft ever made.

Things went downhill afterwards and it's getting worse and worse with each OS they release.

 

[done]

Windows 10 = Spyware.

OSes should just be a GUI that allow you to select the programs you want to run.
Maybe they should include a firewall and other basic security stuff but nothing more.

I don't need garbage like Cortana, Live Tiles and all the other useless crap.

Will stick to XP until my last XP compatible hardware breaks and then I'll move to Linux or BSD and will never look back at Windows again.

XP still rocks...
It's the best OS Microsoft ever made.

Things went downhill afterwards and it's getting worse and worse with each OS they release.

100% correct

 

[Deleted member 178]

OSes should just be a GUI that allow you to select the programs you want to run.
Maybe they should include a firewall and other basic security stuff but nothing more.

The Mass don't look for performance or security, they look for usability and cool features...

 

[NT Five]

Windows 10: The Spy Edition
By Veterans Today Money on August 19, 2015

Windows 10 should be renamed Windows 1984 as that is the true nature of the operating system.

By M. Poorthoven
Windows 10 was released a short while ago with millions having downloaded it already. It is being lauded as the most widely adopted Windows at launch. Windows 10 is free for the first year, even for pirated editions of Windows so that even people with illegal versions of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 can use Windows 10 and get used to it and given a year Microsoft hope that even people who can’t afford it will eventually buy it.

Or at least that’s the illusion they are given for nothing comes free and this latest version of Windows is no exception. Putting all crashes, incompatibilities, lack of drivers, update problems and everything else that’s wrong with Windows 10, forcing Microsoft to release Service Pack 1 (they avowed not to release any more Service Packs after Windows 7 SP1, which is why we have Windows 8.1 and not Windows 8 SP1), aside there are problems that go far beyond all these blue screens and hardware that don’t work.

“If it’s free, you are the product”.

During Beta it became apparent that Microsoft were gathering vast amounts of telemetric data, from locations, to website visited. Most users are already used to this as Google, Bing, Yahoo (Bing), Baidu and basically all search engines do this, not to mention the unknown amount of cookies and trackers ads websites download onto a users computer. However, Microsoft weren’t happy with just collecting which websites people were visiting, they even collected all key presses and mouse clicks, files on the PC and their names, images viewed and files downloaded. Microsoft basically demanded full control of the OS during beta with all possible data being transmitted to their servers.

When this was pointed out many Beta users laughed at privacy concerned users stating that as this was Beta Microsoft could do as they pleased. Users were helping Microsoft improve the OS and had to put up with a lot more than just being the product. Every update would force a new reinstall of Windows 10, which was justified due to the Beta stage of the software.

Not long after release it turned out that those who were mocking privacy concerned users themselves were the fools for Windows 10 EULA stated clearly that Microsoft reserve the right to collect any and all data, including key presses, mouse clicks and all other forms of telemetric data and share it with whomever they pleased. Even Bit Locker passwords are saved on Microsoft’s servers. Websites all over the web exploded with outrage and many users dug deep to find out where the data was going and how to stop Microsoft from collecting whatever they like on their users. It’s turned out that Microsoft’s data collection makes that of Google and iOS look amateur.

The picture above, which is a collection of screen shots from Windows 10 shows that telemetric data gathering is far worse than anyone could have imagined and in some cases can’t even be disabled without going to quite an extent.

Why would Microsoft need to upload WiFi passwords or Facebook passwords to their servers? Why does Windows 10 need to, by default, create a WiFi network without a users consent in the first place?



Microsoft have also changed the way updates are received and rolled out. Users who decline the installation of a ‘feature’ more than twice will not be able to receive security updates either until those features have been installed. What those features could be are as of yet unknown. To add to this beyond irritating and mesmerising backward way of treating users is that users also can’t block driver updates. It has already been reported that users who installed up to date drivers for their hardware (motherboard, sound, video card, etc.) had them uninstalled and were forced by Windows 10 update to use outdated Windows drivers. This is one of the causes of massive headaches, BSOD’s and has made Windows 10 a nightmare. It can be argued that those who never update their drivers would benefit from this but those who do are severely affected by this design choice.

Fortunately a tool has been released by Microsoft that allows users who wish to have more control over their system to block drivers drivers and updates. The tool, which isn’t widely advertised, is not something Microsoft released willingly but had to due to immense problems Windows Update has created.

[...]

And just when we thought we’d hit the bottom with how bad Windows 10 could get Microsoft dropped another bomb. They have reserved the right to disable unauthorised hardware and software. Unauthorised software pertains to services and programs such as Bing, Office, Skype and other Microsoft products but which hardware they are referring to is unknown as the terms are not clear and no list has been released. It’s possible that they will disable non-official Xbox controllers but they could easily take it to the extreme and block non-Microsoft mice, keyboards and everything else they desire within this grey area that they have created for themselves.

[...]

Unfortunately there are many ignorant people who willingly or unwillingly (paid, brainwashed or just too brain dead to understand) act as gatekeepers of the system with motto’s like “If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.” but that hasn’t stopped Windows 10 from being branded Win Spy or Win NSA Edition. Of course Microsoft have not revealed which third parties will be privy to this information but it’s obvious who those usual suspects are. Google censoring Youtube on behalf of the worlds most tyrannical despots shows that whoever demands this information will get it.

The US demand Google remove between 7 to 800 video’s from Youtube (increasing yearly) containing police brutality or criticism of the state. The UK is usually second with the rest of Europe and other Anglo Saxon moral wastelands coming next. China usually requests between 50 and 60 video’s to be removed, with most requests ignored.
It’s been known for years that all operating systems have back doors in them but now that Windows 10 doesn’t need a back door, it is the most intrusive and extensive spyware possible with an OS wrapping.

So what are the alternatives to Win Spy? Linux Ubuntu is not an alternative to this gigantic spyware as Ubuntu has Bing incorporated into it, making it as insecure and spy prone as Windows 10. Linux Mint, Arch, Gentoo and a few others are more privacy orientated as users have more input into the OS and there is a thriving community that helps build on them.

But Linux has its limits. Linux is not a Windows replacement yet as many programmes that run natively in Windows require Wine to run in Linux and Wine isn’t without its incompatibilities and problems. Many programs refuse to run in Wine and or are very unstable. Programs that require special permissions or install drivers won’t run as Wine can’t give such permissions as emulation is severely limited.

Mac OS is not an alternative either unless users wish to become locked into Apple’s eco system, which is also limited compared to that of Windows. In fact in many ways it’s far more limited than Linux. Microsoft have recently released Office for Mac but the problem with Apple PC’s is that users do not have control over the hardware, making repair or replacement either very costly or simply impossible.

Free BSD is also a possibility but again it’s a *nix based OS like Mac OS and Linux so it has its severe limitations. Android is also not an alternative but then who would want Google who are just as evil as Microsoft to develop an OS to replace Windows? Intel have been experimenting with Android x86 and it’s obvious that it can’t replace Windows now, if ever. It’s a phone and tablet orientated OS that lacks productivity. Office programs are not up to par and though WPS has been catching up fast it’s still a mere shadow of LibreOffice, let alone Microsoft Office. And this counts for the Windows version of WPS too.

XP could once have been considered an alternative but XP has had its time. It is a 32bit operating system that can’t use more than 3.5GB of RAM and though Microsoft patched its kernel (the core of the OS, not to be confused with source code) to that of Vista with SP 3 it can’t use more than two cores efficiently, leaving 6 and 8 thread or core CPU’s more or less in the cold as its scheduler is outdated. When XP was first released the most powerful computers were Pentium III or K6’s at about 500MHz with at most 128MB RAM and not even 10GB hard disks. XP64 was released but as that’s Server 2003 renamed to XP it lacks driver support and even that can’t use multiple cores efficiently.

Source: WINDOWS 10 NSA Edition

 

[hjlbx]

The way the W10 EULA is worded the end-user has absolutely no privacy - since the user agrees that Microsoft can collect unlimited data and distribute it as they see fit.

It is really big issue. I don't get that average person does not have a problem with W10.

 

[Tony Cole]

I think one can liken it to the Prism project, large Meta data was collected. It’s been argued that Meta data collection is in fact more invasive than the core data, because with core data you present yourself as you want to be presented, with meta data who knows what conclusions are to be drawn. When the Germans inserted a device in to every printing press the world was in complete and utter disgust, now Microsoft and Google etc., spy on people even more than we could've ever imagined.

 

[hjlbx]

I think one can liken it to the Prism project, large Meta data was collected. It’s been argued that Meta data collection is in fact more invasive than the core data, because with core data you present yourself as you want to be presented, with meta data who knows what conclusions are to be drawn. When the Germans inserted a device in to every printing press the world was in complete and utter disgust, now Microsoft and Google etc., spy on people even more than we could've ever imagined.

How is Microsoft able comply with EU privacy mandates with W10 ?

 

[Tony Cole]

They can't, that's why the likes of Google and Microsoft has to agree with every countries policies on intelligence and the ability to spy on people, using methods such as Bull Run created to weaken security software. But, going after terrorists, drug lords and pedophile's there is no issue, but the every day person, who are not going to kill people, nor ever commit a crime, that's wrong.

 

[hjlbx]

They can't, that's why the likes of Google and Microsoft has to agree with every countries policies on intelligence and the ability to spy on people, using methods such as Bull Run created to weaken security software. But, going after terrorists, drug lords and pedophile's there is no issue, but the every day person, who are not going to kill people, nor ever commit a crime, that's wrong.

So Microsoft circumvents the EU privacy mandates by agreeing to cooperate with every EU-member's security services ?

That doesn't surprise me...

 

[NT Five]

Many people don't get why I'm hanging on to XP, thinking I'm just nostalgic.
I admit nostalgia plays it's part in my motivation but I'm also very pragmatic about my choice.
Don't care about live tiles, DirectX 17, "revolutionary GUI improvements" and all the other marketing hype.

I just want a solid workhorse thet does the job and I don't see the point of all these "improvements".
Newer isn't always better.
In Microshafts case it's only getting worse.

Sitting on a pile of new old motherboards that will run XP for 2 or 3 more decades.
I've got plenty of portable apps that run very well on XP.
I don't even have Net Framework installed because I hate it.
XP does everything I need so why the hell should I upgrade ?
As long as I can browse the web, answer email, edit documents, download, watch and convert videos I'm good.

Most people are idiots.
Declaring they don't care about privacy because they've got nothing to hide...
Well, if that's the case... do you guys mind if I install a webcam in your bedroom so I can have access to it's live stream 24/7 ?

The masses are ignorant and stupid only caring about posting selfies on facebook and spending their day clicking like buttons and updating their profiles.

Social- and mass media seem to rot the mind of the sheeple.
Critical thinkers are becoming a rare breed...

It boggles my mind when I see how people don't care at all about privacy anymore.
For the masses the concept has become obsolete.
I just don't get what happened to this world.

George Orwell was a great prophet.

 

[hjlbx]

Not too very long from now you will have to have a subcutaneous embed chip to log-in...

remind anyone of anything from human history ?

 

[NT Five]

Not too very long from now you will have to have a subcutaneous embed chip to log-in...

You shouldn't talk like that my friend.
People will think you wear tin foil hats.

For many years I tell people technology is becoming scary and Orwellian but people just laugh in my face saying I'm paranoid.
Frankly I don't think I am.

The masses are in denial mode.

Things are very obvious nowadays.
NSA's Prism is a conspiracy fact, not just a theory.

How stupid are you sheeple people, when you think you can seriously deny these things ?
Are you intellectually dishonest or maybe severely brain damaged to the point that you don't even care ?
How long are you going to continue to mock the people that warned you for decades about what's coming ?

There will be RFID implants for the sheeple people.
There is no doubt in my mind.

 

[hjlbx]

You shouldn't talk like that my friend.
People will think you wear tin foil hats.

For many years I tell people technology is becoming scary and Orwellian but people just laugh in my face saying I'm paranoid.
Frankly I don't think I am.

The masses are in denial mode.

Things are very obvious nowadays.
NSA's Prism is a conspiracy fact, not just a theory.

How stupid are you sheeple people, when you think you can seriously deny these things ?
Are you intellectually dishonest or maybe severely brain damaged to the point that you don't even care ?
How long are you going to continue to mock the people that warned you for decades about what's coming ?

There will be RFID implants for the sheeple people.
There is no doubt in my mind.

@NT Five

They just don't care and\or sit by allowing it all to happen.

There are three things in life you can count on... death, taxes and history repeating itself...

 

[NT Five]

History will repeat itself and people don't even care.
I don't even care anymore about these zombies.
They are lost, asleep, brainwashed, hypnotized or braindead.
Call it whatever you want.

Nothing we can do about it anyway...
Life is short and precious so I'm going to enjoy it before it's too late.