Windows 10: Cortana: The spy in Windows 10

It's a recurring theme on this forum.
I think part of the problem is that over the last year or so, there have been articles published containing inaccuracies regarding Windows 10, which has lead to people getting fed up with them. I'm also included in those who sometimes get fed up with them, as it too winds me up when I see articles containing inaccurate information or poorly researched material, especially when they're written in a certain fashion in order to deliberately stir up an anti-Microsoft rhetoric.

I'm all for criticizing articles, pointing out inaccuracies, countering an article's content and motivations, etc., but what I've also observed is a growing trend across the internet where whenever anyone tries to discuss privacy issues or questions what data is being collected, what it's being used for and how to disable it, they get jumped on, mocked and belittled for doing so. Usually something along the lines of the tin foil hat variety, blah blah.

The reality is, quite often the people discussing privacy issues aren't trying to imply that there are some hidden processes secretly collecting data and covertly sending it back to the mothership without you knowing, but rather discuss what's done right in plain sight in front of everyone and documented in black and white in lengthy privacy policies.

I'm not entirely sure people realise quite how predictable human behaviour is and how frighteningly accurate profiling people can be. Combine that with mission creep and the use of data brokers to link all that data together and it really is something that needs addressing seriously. There have been lots of articles and books written regarding this, but perhaps one of the most well known ones is a New York Times article from a few years ago giving an insight on how retailers operate behind the scenes and how a father inadvertently found out his daughter was pregnant when Target starting to send her coupons for baby clothes and cribs. He went into the store to complain about the coupons because in his view they could encourage her to get pregnant. Little did he know she was already pregnant and Targets computers knew before him due to their pregnancy-prediction model created by statistician Andrew Pole.

All this data collection needs to be reigned in and control firmly in the end users control without deliberately designing interfaces in a way that makes it more difficult for users to disable certain 'features'.

 

What a strange tale the above quote is, to back up those suspicious that M$ is snooping or acting in a nefarious manner.
Next thing you know M$ will be accused of making the daughter pregnant....of course no blame should be attached to either the father the daughter or even the boyfriend.

 

That quote says more about the lack of interest of the father in the Daughter's well-being, that was acceptable at the time

He (the father), should be more aware of what was going on in his daughters Life - Not for some sort of weird need to control. but to be better able to support his daughter if things to not always go to plan *Wink

 

Now who said there weren't any with common sense around! Best post seen here so far! *Thumbs No NS.. who, UFO, or other gibberish!

Data collection is far more common then most even realize mainly through retail and credit sources compared to spys hidden in Windows or other softwares even. In Windows we make a choice whether or not to share in most cases by how we chose to leave options set on various things including the initial setup. Things like sharing the updates by way of sharing our ISP bandwidth were pointed to a year ago shortly before 10 even launched.

 

The issue isn't data collection. The issue is turning all data collection on by default and making it hard for an experienced user to turn off, due to the multiple options and locations you have to crawl through to do it. It also makes it pretty much impossible for Joe average user, the majority, who just want to press one button.
It isn't the Microsoft is going to setup some odd profile of every user accessing pornhub, probably 90% of which is their staff. However, any data stored in the cloud is open to hacking. Look at the thousands of cases over the last 10 years, many of the sites most of us would think would be resonably safe. What happens when your personal information is leaked out? Additionally, your online data is a reflection of you. By turning on Cortana by default, and making it much harder to completely remove, Microsoft is essentially a virtual peeping Tom. Maybe there is nothing to see, but do they really need to be looking in your Windows? (Pun intended.)
Finally, I agree all of us give up some privacy being on the internet. However, that's our choice. While FaceBook and even Gmail or not mandatory to survive in this world, unfortunately Windows is because they have a lock on the market. If you want a job today that pays above minimum wage, you better know how to use Windows.
So given Microsoft's control, if they want to have Cortana that's fine. However, there should be a simple on-off button for all of Cortana's "features" and it should ask you when you first install windows/start if for the first time if you want Cortana on or off and give you a link showing what it accesses. Then if you decide you don't mind the intrustion fine. However, if you do, turn it off, that should be fine too.

 

Many Thanks

It (they) should not equate privacy to wanting to live in a cave and just becoase they can track you one way or another does not make it right to do so.

 

I honestly don't care if they track every keystrokes that I do. I have backup emails that has all of the important info with it, I didn't use that when I linked my email to Windows 10.

I don't like this "We'll force you to trust us" stuff, It's pissing me off. They should know better that people are not giving away the trust so easily today.

 

Most people would careless what data Microsoft has. In fact, I would trust Microsoft with my data. The real issue is privacy laws in each country that could get a business fined a lot of money. In the U.S. with have H.I.P.P.A. & Credit cards privacy laws, not all businesses use the enterprise version of windows. Of course this is just my opinion.

 

Yep...garbage.

 

"A simple on/off button? No we can't have that now! In order to manipulate the uninformed we have to include a catch 22 in this new version of ours for each new feature we add in..." some board exec rambles on at MS M$cheme board room about. "Most noobs won't even know how to make a left turn into... while they blindly make our suggested right turn! Ignorance is Bliss isn't it? well for us that is!"

Programmers, program developers, advanced beta users, etc. who otherwise know how to navigate through Windows as an OS on the hand will of course eventually find techniques to turn things off the MS schemers have no control over. But for the average mom and pop high school student crowd who simply shop at Walmart that new bells and whistles is far more inviting! And the kids these days are too busy text blabbering their personal data out all over anyways and wouldn't even notice the "slight of hand" wool over eyes.

 

So many opinions....

Personally, I don't trust any business (or very few friends, for that matter) with my personal data. Microsoft is very low on my list for trusted Companies, this is just one example why. I have a basic problem with all software and internet companies though. Hell, I don't trust my bank, thank goodness my mother passed away, had my eye on her.

But, as for Cortana, there are ample ways to disable, however I think it should be a bit more readily accessible. Those not agreeing with the article, I offer this as rebuttal. It is Microsoft's own fault, for not putting in an easy on/off switch, so I think it is fair game to ridicule the OS, if Microsoft doesn't want scrutiny then don't use methods that encourage it.

 

Lol that top passage is hilarious.

I will give microsoft credit though they did fix the screen when you first set up windows, the "Customize settings" option on the "Get Going Fast" screen (where all/most of the privacy shenanigans are) has been fixed, it is no longer a little blue inconspicuous link, it's now right next to and the same size as the "Use Express settings" button. It used to be the same size and text as Learn More link down in the left.





So good on them. I don't have particular Microsoft hate, I think they're doing what they usually do. See something from another company that works (Apple's app store, apps, popularity of the smartphone revolution, cloud synching, etc) and push it to full throttle with no regard for past ways of doing things.

They heard Windows XP's main flaw was it's security so they pushed it to full throttle with Vista, with extreme UAC nagging, without regard for "legacy" programs that may not function well/at all with UAC.

It almost seems like they listen too hard to customer shifts in computing platform.

Phones and tablets will never replace a desktop computer for medium/heavy productivity/entertainment like video editing, modeling, gaming, etc. Thus they should cater a part of Windows (perhaps the "Pro" line?! Revolutionary!) to those people who don't want any fluff or new features or new UI. Update the support for new technology, (NVME, DX12, etc) and that's all. For "home" it should look like Windows 10 looks today, with all the bells and whistles. Professionals pay thousands for new Adobe software, gamers pay $60 for new triple A titles. it is not a stretch for them to pay $100-$150 for Windows 11 Pro without all of the nonsense =P.

Similar to what they did in the past with the 9x series. Windows NT for the pros/enthusiasts, and 9x for the consumers.

 

It's called LTSB, too bad it's enterprise only.

 

Well what is interesting about businesses regardless of either 10 Pro or Enterprise for engineering, management, corporate execs, etc. is that will simply be a business expense as part of an overall upgrade. Yet while an estimated 21% of machine worldwide by whose statics other then MS that is are running 10 the trend to lean away from 7's huge overall success as far as the business world is concerned is stretched as it had been from XP to Vista, 7 days with 7 coming out on top after the previous didn't go over well.

10 Pro runs about $140US up to the $199- retail tag while the Home edition is under the $120 mark on average. Enterprise as well as the Education edition obviously fetch some higher prices. The estimates at this time however place 7 still being a strong contender for the interim until 2020 arrives. Then the business world will have to accept the upgrade to whatever is the latest at the time.

As for XP it was a bit more then security but stability in general that was the question as that was the BSOD Special MS rushed out following the ME flop! MS simply took the framework from 2000 and slapped the ME updated gui on top splicing a rush job together still seeing Fat incorporated. Vista saw that dumped entirely which later proved to be a huge mistake as everything suddenly went Flash memory and Fat volumes on not only flash drives but onboard memory as well as SD cards and other removable media forms. for the latest technologies being introduced in Digital. Cameras as well as phone were now not only film less devices but also camcorders as well as taking snapshots.

The rest of course is now history as far as Netbooks, Windows Phones, IPhonies, IPadded cells(not called the fruity company for no reason-Poke E moron nonsense supreme lately), etc. with not so smart touch this screen influxing into the main OS as well as the emergence of the competitors's OSs for hand held with MS adopting the mobile platform into the Desktop OS. We saw 8 flop and suddenly 8.1 appeared while the work to get things right is only now starting to take shape with 10.

 

If MS (and/or its employees) hadn't kept releasing contradictory "official" statements, there would have been less articles (accurate and fraudulent).

The whole GWX fiasco also didn't win any new friends for MS either.
When an OS supplier starts behaving like a malware/PUP purveyor, people are entirely justified in being suspicious of everything that vendor does.

Agreed.

I would also add, the random setting changes, whenever you receive a large update, don't make it any easier.

I also don't have much faith in W10's software switches.
My W10 Home automatically connects to our network (via Wi-Fi) despite the "Connect automatically" option not being selected.

In fact, I just turned on W10 (to check the option's wording) and it automatically connected to the network. *Sick

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