# Microsoft Edge Has Privacy-Invading Telemetry



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

* Research Finds Microsoft Edge Has Privacy-Invading Telemetry *

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...icrosoft-edge-has-privacy-invading-telemetry/



> While Microsoft Edge shares the same source code as the popular Chrome browser, it offers better privacy control for users. New research, though, indicates that it may have more privacy-invading telemetry than other browsers.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I think anyone who reads the Edge issue, should also read this and set accordingly on their Edge 
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb...nd-privacy-microsoft-privacy?ocid=EdgePrivacy


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## Jargonelle (Mar 19, 2020)

Well I'm not really a fan of Microsoft edge. Good luck to edge users out there.


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## Professionalgirl (Jan 10, 2020)

I use Google, I think that all browsers tend to invade a users privacy and not just Edge. You would think that because Edge owns this browser that they of all companies would protect your privacy more so than others. I am absolutely stunned at the fact that they would violate a user's privacy at that magnitude! Microsoft claims to protect users by providing free update patches to user's who use Windows OS systems. My question is why would they allow this to continue with their Edge Browser?


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## bassfisher6522 (Aug 8, 2008)

Professionalgirl said:


> My question is why would they allow this to continue with their Edge Browser?


Simply put, it's all about custom tailoring to ones personal needs. And.....and to do this they (MS, Google, their respective browser and for that matter just about anything these days) need that telemetry and collect the personal data to do so. Now the real question is; what do they do with that information. There are those so called breaches of privacy/personal data that happen all the time. Who is leaking/selling what to whom and when. Then to find out it's been months or even years later that we find out and by then the damage is done.

We can only protect our self and our data as best we can with the knowledge and technology that is provided to us.


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

bassfisher6522 said:


> ....
> We can only protect our self and our data as best we can with the knowledge and technology that is provided to us.


:up:
That sums it as a practical solution.
And realistically, about the only one there's going to be.


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## Professionalgirl (Jan 10, 2020)

Microsoft, could be using our personal information to tailor our experience on the web and not for malicious purposes. Lets hope.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

1. Microsoft do NOT always get it right, but I firmly believe they try their absolute best to be honest, open and fully disclose what data they track
As I said on the topic, *back on 16 march* - I think anyone reading the provided link in the opening post should also read the Microsoft link I provided in post 2.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb...nd-privacy-microsoft-privacy?ocid=EdgePrivacy

Much of the data recorded and activities tracked can be prevented by using the advice in the link.

The privacy controls in 10 AND on Edge, are IMHO perhaps the best available on any OS that does track and record, or any browser that tracks and records.

Re this


Professionalgirl said:


> I am absolutely stunned at the fact that they would violate a user's privacy at that magnitude! Microsoft claims to protect users by providing free update patches to user's who use Windows OS systems. My question is why would they allow this to continue with their Edge Browser?


IMHO they do not violate it. They tell you what they collect and they tell you how to choose what you want them to see - NOT in everything, as you cannot turn some of them OFF - no more than you can with many other apps, both free and indeed paid for.



Professionalgirl said:


> You would think that because Edge owns this browser that they of all companies would protect your privacy more so than others.


I think you mean because Microsoft owns this EDGE browser etc, or possibly I have misunderstood what you meant.

If anyone is interested here is more or less the full account of EDGE and the Microsoft collaboration with Google (Chrome)
https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/6/18527550/microsoft-chromium-edge-google-history-collaboration










Just to be clear I have no connection with Microsoft, but IMHO much of what can be read on various sites found on a search engine is very misleading.
Not so many years ago a Microsoft spokesperson commented that they Microsoft considered Windows Defender as on 8 and 10 (not the original Defender on 7) to be the baseline for protection.

If you actually read what she said, it was clear that she meant - the protection offered by DEFENDER was the baseline on which any AV should be judged.

This was widely misreported as she saying that Defender ONLY provided baseline protection.

With reference to the article on bleeping computer - actual article here
https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/pubs/browser_privacy.pdf

when the writer Douglas J. Leith comments


> Edge sends the hardware UUID of the device to Microsoft, a strong and enduring identiﬁer than cannot be easily changed or deleted


I cannot help wondering if he knows that on Windows 10, the hardware hash of the computer is already registered on Microsoft servers - quite apart from Edge reporting it.

UUID
cmd prompt admin
wmic csproduct get UUID

powershell
(Get-CimInstance -Class Win32_ComputerSystemProduct).UUID

Microsoft Privacy Statement
https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-gb/privacystatement


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

I've also configured the MS privacy settings on my Win 10 install and kept security up to date , although I prefer using Firefox on a Linux platform.
But even Firefox needs to be supervised for security.

It seems the more software is configured for convenience, the greater the number of potential security hazards.

In a corporate scene, no matter how dutiful, how much official rules are instituted, all it takes is one bad employee with criminal intent to wreak havoc on the consumer.
This happened at the bank I use. Several months ago, a small group of employees started selling names and account numbers.
They were readily caught and now facing trial.
It happens.
I still bank there because their security was aggressive and caught the perps in short order.

The weak link in any ethical company/corporation, is the corrupt employee.

I'll leave it to others to argue whether or not MS is an ethical corporation


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

*Johnny b*

Hi
As I said
1. Microsoft do NOT always get it right

*I just feel, that VIOLATE is too strong a word.*



Macboatmaster said:


> IMHO they do not violate it


It would I think be suitable if they gathered such information without telling you they were.

Some may not agree, but I think what they gather is a genuine attempt to improve the service they offer, rather than some fly-by-night company that gathers information and then sells it.

Many people I am sure do not know what is gathered. As an example - most people know about IP address and some know about UUID I mentioned, I doubt if many know about IMEI number on a phone - accessing Microsoft

From the Privacy statement link I provided in my reply 8


> Network capabilities and connection data such as the device's IP address, mobile network (including IMEI and mobile operator), and whether the device is connected to a free or paid network.


I know you are the Linux expert, I am only a casual user of Puppy and Ubuntu - what do those OS gather, as against a browser on the system?
Edit - found answer to Ubuntu
https://www.howtogeek.com/349844/how-to-stop-ubuntu-from-collecting-data-about-your-pc/

and Ubuntu site
https://ubuntu.com/legal/data-privacy
*Finally, take care in this current crisis and best wishes to you and yours.*


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Hi Mac 

I'm more of a learning enthusiast of Puppy than an expert. lol
As it's now primarily an enthusiast built OS,( that Barry Kauler now oversees), there aren't the financial pressures associated with corporate ventures, like MS, that are profit motivated. ( I'm not saying that as a bad thing, it's a reality in/of a capitalist economic model. It's how things get done on a large scale. ).
At the same time, there aren't as many updates from developers nor Linus Torvald.
Being less complex, there are fewer avenues of intrusion in an operating system not widely used, so there is that also.
Puppy and most distros rely on their past reputations and 'bad apples' seem sorted out in short order by the Linux community.
I'm not aware of Puppy having any 'phone home' telemetry. Doesn't mean there isn't any, though.
Ubuntu, I'm not familiar with, nor Mint. I've tried them out but prefer Puppy.
It's what I use for all my Internet activity.
But I still use Win 7 ( and probably Win 10 in the future ) as a home/office machine.

I'm aware that Firefox has options to limit some privacy concerns, but it's not 100% by any means.

For me it's been an evolutionary experience. I began on MS software. The more I learned, the greater understanding I gained on what I wanted and needed in the experience of computing.
I do have fewer issues with Puppy than I had with XP and Win7. But Puppy Linux isn't a do all OS. There are things I do that don't happen on a Linux PC platform. Using voice recognition is one of them. ( I hate peck typing  )

Even so.....the best security starts with the person at the keyboard and what they are doing.


Times are stressful with COVID-19 and politics.
All is well here and hopefully for you and yours.
Take care Mac


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Cheers


Johnny b said:


> Times are stressful with COVID-19 and politics.
> All is well here and hopefully for you and yours.


Thanks, I have lost a friend/acquaintance, the wife of another friend/acquaintance and an ex-colleague from my working days, with the virus.
Luckily, no relatives or really close friends - yet.
Stay Safe Johnny - thanks for replying.


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