Windows 10 is spying on almost everything you do – here’s how to opt out

[CareBear08]

Windows 10 is also spying on nearly everything you do.

Actually, here’s one excerpt from Microsoft’s privacy statement that everyone can understand:

Finally, 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: 1.comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, including from law enforcement or other government agencies; 2.protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of the services, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone; 3.operate and maintain the security of our services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or 4.protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services – however, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement.

Microsoft does allow Windows 10 users to opt out of all of the features that might be considered invasions of privacy. Of course, users are opted in by default, which is more than a little disconcerting, but let’s focus on the solution.

First, you’ll want to open Settings and click on Privacy. There, you’ll find 13 different screens — yes, 13 — to go through, and you’ll want to disable anything that seems worrying. The blog notes that most of the important settings can be found on the General tab, though other tabs are important as well. For example, you’ll definitely want to adjust what types of data each app on your system can access.

Next, users should consider dumping Cortana. Yes, the voice-driven assistant is easily one of the best new features in Windows 10, but it also plays fast and loose with your data. As a result, many users will find that the benefits do not outweigh the risks.

For the third task, you’ll have to venture outside the confines of your PC and hit the web. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to check out Microsoft’s nifty new Edge browser. In it, click on this link and set both “Personalised ads in this browser†and “Personalised ads wherever I use my Microsoft account†to off. This will disable Microsoft’s Google-style ad tracking features.

The last tip is one that most users will likely forgo, as it is a bit excessive. Rock Paper Shotgunrecommends removing your Microsoft account from Windows 10 completely and using a newly made local account instead. This way, Microsoft doesn’t grab hold of all your data to sync it across machines. To us that’s a great and useful feature, but if you want to kill it just follow the link below in our source section for complete instructions and plenty more details.

https://bgr.com/2015/07/31/windows-10-upgrade-spying-how-to-opt-out/

[LittlePinky82]

From all the eh stuff with this I'm sticking with 8.1 for now I think. 

[SulIi]

I'm still stuck with Window 7     

[ErikaEGO]

Im putting tape over this camera i swear to gud

[Eppo]

It's pretty easy to opt out of all this, but it's sneaky how they hid certain settings in a sub-menu of a sub-menu.

[HelloMuses]

I got Windows 10 free, I guess most of you missed the deadline to get it free lol.

[montchery]

I guess I'm staying with Windows 7 then. I love it so idrc lol

[Bearclaw]

I got Windows 10 free, I guess most of you missed the deadline to get it free lol.

Why would I want to pay for something that has so many more options to collect data about my internet usage even with the setting disablement? Hell, why would I want it for free? 

 

#byemicrosoft 

[CareBear08]

I got Windows 10 free, I guess most of you missed the deadline to get it free lol.

you have a year. the deadline is in 2016.

 

Microsoft is making Windows 10 available as a free upgrade1 for qualified and genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 devices. The free upgrade for select Windows Phone 8.1 devices will start to be available later this year. If you have reserved, we’ll notify you when your upgrade is ready. You have until July 29, 2016 to take advantage of this free upgrade offer. Once you upgrade, you’ll have Windows 10 for free on that device.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/Windows-10-faq

[HelloMuses]

you have a year. the deadline is in 2016.

 

Microsoft is making Windows 10 available as a free upgrade1 for qualifiedand genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 devices. The free upgrade for select Windows Phone 8.1 devices will start to be available later this year.

If you have reserved, we’ll notify you when your upgrade is ready. You have until July 29, 2016 to take advantage of this free upgrade offer. Once you upgrade, you’ll have Windows 10 for free on that device.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/Windows-10-faq

 

ah... why on my bday tho 

[CareBear08]

ah... why on my bday tho 

lol

[iljinspirit]

I ain't upgrading cause the aesthetics of it are way off for me.. I only just got used to the circular start menu icon they're moving too quickly 

[acre]

Why would I want to pay for something that has so many more options to collect data about my internet usage even with the setting disablement? Hell, why would I want it for free? 

 

#byemicrosoft 

I mean........ all computers literally do that anyways.... All internet providers too... That's how they know what to improve. Microsoft is just giving you the option to opt-out now. So....... moral: nothing is safe when you're online.

[dvang]

i dual boot my laptop so i have both windows 7 & 10 right now

although i will probably remove the latter one soon

[Salieri]

I swear do people onlly always use Express settings. I had most of these turned off when I used my own settings from the get go.

[Sully]

Why would I want to pay for something that has so many more options to collect data about my internet usage even with the setting disablement? Hell, why would I want it for free? 

 

#byemicrosoft 

Seriously. I didn't even want it for free, and even more glad that I didn't bother after hearing about this privacy stuff they hid all over the place.

[GoneGirl]

Thanks for the tip! I went for customised settings when I upgraded but still missed on all this stuff.

[Nev Schulman]

welpp

[Hyun.]

Not surprised at all. Everything is always spying on us lmao.

[natural]

 

Im putting tape over this camera i swear to gud

 

lmao I did that but not because of windows 10 tho

[Nowhere Boy]

Glad I haven't upgraded to that shit

[Big Stupid Jellyfish]

I'm still stuck with Window 7     

 

I am too... and I don't regret it at all.

[onieyez]

google and facebook does it to everyone
there's an app that blocks facebook from tracking you, but you can't escape google.analytics bruh

at least in microsoft case you can feel safe that you have turned it off

[Miyami]

Welp.. has the age of Linux finally come?

[takaminas]

looks like i'm installing it custom instead of express..

 

_{and why are they trying to make microsoft accounts a thing on the pcs.. like i don't see the point of it.. D: good old local accounts don't fail me.}