Microsoft adds Win 10 spying features to Win 7 & 8

"Windows 10 Worst Feature Installed On Windows 7 And Windows 8"

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/08/30/windows-10-spying-on-windows-7-and-windows-8/

Ouch. And my Win 7 system has 3 of them. I hope I can remove them ...........

If you sign up to Windows Live or MS Live or whatever it's called now, you're screwed. That's where the bulk of snooping takes place. Check every hamburger or gear icon to turn off a lot of settings. If you rely on syncing your ever-so-precious iphone or tablet to your PC, you're screwed doubly.

So glad I never fell into that millennial sh*t.

Those sites they list are stated to be hardcoded and will bypass the HOSTS file. However don't forget about the ability to block them via the site blocking feature in 3rd party software firewall, antivirus with site blocking (Avast, Panda Free Antivirus), and the hardware modem which should have a site blocking feature.

Reading all this negative stuff like this newest one is making Windows 10 so 100% unappealing to me to never want to upgrade.

Edit:

Those sites are now blocked via my hardware modem!

I think we have to keep things in context.

Yes, when installing Win 10 turn off all privacy features etc and as with any OS you own, watch what connects out etc.

But to correct the balance it is pointless going on about privacy if at the same time you have an iphone, android phone and use Facebook, Google sync, Twitter etc.

Unless you are living in a cave 100 foot down someone, somewhere, knows your date of birth, social security number and where you went for your last holiday.

fortunality we can uninstall these things on w7-8 :)

phew lucky again B)

where you went for your last holiday.

Not if you pay cash for everything, which I do.

Edit:

But in all fairness my "vacations" consist of me staying home playing video games.

I think we have to keep things in context.

. . .

. . . someone, somewhere, knows your date of birth. . .

For sure thats the way it is going. For a long time now, I guess.

But the difference here will be the scale of the operation.

And when microsoft gets hacked (yes, they have, and will again) more people will lose more stuff than ever before.

You guys crack me up. If your worried about this you probably shouldn't be using google or microsoft anything. (or apple)

Good luck running a broken linux distro and a flip phone. I salute your dedication but snicker at the inconvenience.

To me there are real benefits to the stuff these companies are doing. As long as they are up front about what their doing I don't see the harm. I always check to allow them to get my office usage stats because I want them to improve office as an example. Who cares if they know how many times I clicked on a function or launched the program?

Its not like MS is taking files off your pc and uploading them for the world to see. In the US the IRS, insurance companies, credit companies have all been hacked and now peoples stuff is really out there for all to see. I'm more worried about that stuff personally than what usage stats tech companies are collecting.

Yep, thats the way it is going.

Reminds me of that old metaphor about the "boiling frog".

Any benefits from this data mining initiative will accrue to microsoft, not their customers.

And I do believe that the dangerous aspects of over-sharing are now exponentially more hugher (if that isn't a word it oughta be). :)

I came across a program that seems to turn off a number of those "Spying Features" in Win 10.

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/05/donotspy10-configure-windows-10-privacy-settings/

Here's how to remove those spying features (incl. a manual one) in Win 7 & 8.

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/08/28/microsoft-intensifies-data-collection-on-windows-7-and-8-systems/

GHacks has A LOT OF useful hacks/tweaks.

this updates ill upgrade to nirwana :)

I noticed that some of these security/privacy tools from germany. there are also other language tools, or is it a german phenomenon?

...

To me there are real benefits to the stuff these companies are doing.

...

I've thought about that statement for a couple of weeks now, and just cannot see how it will benefit me or any user for that matter for microsoft to learn what ads I click on or what sites I visit, etc.

Maybe my own ignorance, but everything has gone fine until now.

Its not just about ads. Its a combination of ads, web sites visited, emails, and location data.

Perfect example is google now. I let google know all of my searches, map destinations, emails, and videos watched. Now with the google now app they tell me quicker ways to get to work, restaurants that I may like when I travel, times that my planes leave, ect. The more data I give them the more services they provide me.

With microsoft its less useful to me since I don't use bing or their maps or email. However they are trying to offer something like google now with cortana.

I understand. Good explanation.

From that, it seems that this initiative can be helpful for a some 'net users. Maybe most of them.

Still not for me but I can see a positive side. :)

Its definitely not for everyone. However if you rely on google, apple, or microsoft services, it makes those services more customized to you.

http://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10

I'm finding very few reputable endorsements of the above software. While it looks ok from a WOT standpoint I've found very litte about it.

I just have to laugh about this "Windows 10 is spying on us" paranoia.

Win10 is new and so it is getting all this shouting from those who don't understand the world as it is now.

Give it six months and they will be shouting about some other 'new' thing.

If you want to get paranoid then take a look at what Google and Faceache are harvesting about you.

Note- thats the way Google, Bing, YaHoo, etc. etc. work.

They catalogue everything that is put online, if they didn't then you would not be able to search for it.

If you don't like it then don't connect the the internet, turn off your phone, never use a card to pay for anything, close your bank account, and try to get rid of your social security number (good luck with that one).

My personal paranoia theory- Google will be running the world ten or twenty years from now and the current governments will not be able to do a thing about it.

And to be honest I'm not sure that this would be a bad thing.

If you want to get paranoid then take a look at what Google and Faceache are harvesting about you.

Faceache! :lol: