Windows 10 violates your privacy by default – Windows 10 privacy issues

Posted on August 4, 2015

Windows 10 privacy policy issues

Windows 10 violates your privacy by default, here’s how you can protect yourself

Protect your Privacy from Windows 10! Microsoft doesn’t need to know about you hemorrhoid problems

With the new Windows 10 updates from Microsoft also came a few new service models; specifically, Windows will be releasing service packs every few months to users (whether you want it or not).

Another issue is the concern over Microsoft Windows 10 privacy policy and how by default (after first installation) you have your computer open up to releasing your personal information to Microsoft for advertising and monitoring purposes (see Microsoft’s LONG privacy policy).

ISSUE1: Windows 10 automatically assigns an advertising ID to each user on a device tied to the email address that’s on file. With this Microsoft can tailor advertisements using your browsing habits (searching for hemorrhoid cream… expected more targeted advertisement related to that product J)

ISSUE 2: Your personal data is now also synced with Microsoft’s servers. Certain information such as your Wi-Fi password are stored on the servers so that you can easily share your internet with your contacts, using Microsoft’s new feature called Wi-Fi sense. This seems like a good idea, but I rather write the guest password on the bottom of my router and when I have guest over I give that to them (simple right?)

ISSUE 3: Microsoft personal assistance (Cortana) also collects data on you in an effort to better provide certain services and to better assist your computer usage (i.e update contacts, calendars, getting directions, weather….)

ISSUE 4: Microsoft new EDGE browser does personalized ads while browsing

ISSUE 5: is one thing to collect information on you to try and make your computing experience more enjoyable it’s another when that information is disclosed/shared with other’s without your permission. See below for an excerpt from Microsoft’s privacy policy:

“We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of the services.”

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Solution to Microsoft Privacy Issues

Before you install Windows 10 do a custom install. Don’t just click next, next next like you normally do. Actually read what the screen says before you press next. By doing a custom install you will be able to opt out of the majority of privacy concerns mentioned above.

What if you already install Windows 10 using the Express install settings? Well you have to now go into setting and edit each privacy option.

Click here for Step by step with pictures on how to opt out of specific privacy options

Solution:

Starting from the Windows 10 start button, select “Settings” and then click “Privacy” and click the “General” tab on the left sidebar.

Under that tab you’ll see a few sliders where you can toggle certain features on or off (i.e disabling your Microsoft advertising ID.. don’t want Microsoft to know about your Hemorrhoid cream)

Note: there are various tabs [General, Location, Camera, Microphone, Speech, Account info, Contact, calendar, Messaging….]. Make sure to go through each and disable any option you don’t like i.e Cortana, the new Wi-Fi feature and the SYNC option. It’s your privacy and you should decide what’s made available to Microsoft.

Now for some users these aren’t concerns but I truly believe you should have some say in what information you make about yourself available to large corporation.

I am pretty sure there are other concerns I missed but I will continue to update as I discover more (be sure to subscribe to this blog for monthly updates)

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