85 Vista sends data about users to MS
Monday 2nd July, 2007
You have to wonder how much of this sort of thing is down to the NSA.
Rob. April 2015.
Well, no surprise. Microsoft uses Vista to gather information about you. I've made many posts about this, just type "Vista" in the Quicksearch text field and press enter. So what? What can they tell?
... in excess of 20 Windows Vista features and services are hard at work collecting and transmitting your personal data to the Redmond company.
Geez, 20? That seems rather a lot. Those twenty features and services all use CPU and RAM on your PC, to snoop on you. You'll have to read the full article to find out exactly what those 20+ data mining techniques are (plus how you can bypass some of them). But surely Microsoft are a responsible company. (Actually, I couldn't type that last sentence without grinning.) Well, the Vista license agreement clearly states:
"By using these features, you consent to the transmission of this information. Microsoft does not use the information to identify or contact you."
And they say they're not going to identify you. All they say they want is your:
"Internet protocol address, the type of operating system, browser and name and version of the software you are using, and the language code of the device where you installed the software."
Heh, if they have your IP address, they have you. But they clearly stated that they won't identify you, so, problem over? Not quite.
"Microsoft may disclose personal information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with the law or legal process served on Microsoft; (b) protect and defend the rights of Microsoft (including enforcement of our agreements); or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft software or services, or members of the public,"
The good faith belief? Microsoft? Come on.