# Windows 10 Privacy Concerns - Fact or Fiction?



## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

So given that Microsoft is going to stop support for Windows 7 in nine months, I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and get Win10. Of course, I've heard a fair amount of the privacy concerns, and doing a fair amount of googling just now hasn't cleared everything up, as I hear different things from different sources.

I know that Microsoft, like Google, will track websites I go to in their browser, track emails I type in their email system, that sort of thing. That's fine.

But I don't want it literally snooping at the contents of my PC, seeing what files I have on it, and what the contents of those files are. I don't want it listening to what I type in, say, Notepad. (I heard it has a keylogger, is that true? Does the keylogger only look at what I type in Edge and related stuff, or does it look at every keystroke I ever type?)

I have a lot of confidential and/or personal info, and while I doubt Microsoft would ever actually do anything sinister with it, it's not something I feel comfortable with them snooping into.

How valid are these sorts of privacy concerns? Thanks for your answers


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Keylogging is mainly the activity monitor option in Settings>Privacy>Inking and Typing personalization feature. You can turn it off. MS, imho, is trustworthy in explaining what they use the data for - personalization.
Most of it is mainly feeding the data into Cortana, which comes up with things to suggest. And you have to look at the things Cortana comes up with to understand this. For example if you type in sticky note that you have an appointment at such & such - it can pop up a reminder at that time.
MS has too many customers to care about what one of a million individual does.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Thank you! I do feel better now 

I'm still highly curious though _what_ exactly they're looking at, even if it's only for Cortana.

Does the keylogger log _every_ keystroke, in _any_ program? Or just in Edge and similar Microsoft specific programs?

Does the activity tracker (or anything else in Windows 10 for that matter) look at the _contents_ of files stored or accessed on my hard drive?


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## bobcat5536 (Jun 29, 2015)

If privacy is a big concern, there are a number of free software solutions out there that address this concern. I posted a link to one of them.

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


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

bobcat5536 said:


> If privacy is a big concern, there are a number of free software solutions out there that address this concern. I posted a link to one of them.
> 
> https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10


Cool, thank you! I will look into that.

I would still like answers to my questions about exactly _what_ Windows10 is looking at, though, please


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## bobcat5536 (Jun 29, 2015)

Not real sure what kind of info they gather, or how it's used. Some of the options in the software should give you some kind of idea.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Thanks, I appreciate your answer  I'll take a look at the software.

Does anyone else know?


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

You may want to watch this video.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

texasbullet said:


> You may want to watch this video.


Thanks, but that still doesn't answer my question  Google, Facebook, etc, aren't looking at the contents of my hard drive, or keylogging my typing outside of their associated services.

I'm worried that Windows 10 _is_ looking at the contents of my hard drive or keylogging _everything_. And I would like to know how true that is


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## texasbullet (Jun 11, 2014)

There is a privacy setting in W10 that you can set by yourself manually to turn them on or off.
You still have until January, 2020 to decide if you want to upgrade to W10 or not. If you still have W7 you can still upgrade for Free. I am not quite sure if the free upgrade may end soon but that is up to microsoft to decide.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

texasbullet said:


> There is a privacy setting in W10 that you can set by yourself manually to turn them on or off.
> You still have until January, 2020 to decide if you want to upgrade to W10 or not. If you still have W7 you can still upgrade for Free. I am not quite sure if the free upgrade may end soon but that is up to microsoft to decide.


Thanks, but what is it that I'd be turning on or off?

I just want to know _what_ Windows10 is looking at, and under what circumstances? I understand there are ways to circumvent it, but I'd still like to know what exactly it is that I'm circumventing


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Does no one know?

Specifically, does Windows 10 look at the contents of the hard drive? And does it keylog everything, or just things in Microsoft programs/apps?

I _do_ know there are ways of circumventing them, but I do want to know, please. Thanks


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## DaveA (Nov 16, 1999)

I think there is a bigger issue with all of the different web sites and or any program that you install on your machine that may track one's actions than what some people think that Big Brother at Microsoft just may be doing.

Edit:
Hope you do NOT use the cloud as they (Cloud venders) have more access to your data than Microsoft would, unless you are using their (Microsoft) cloud services?


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

DaveA said:


> I think there is a bigger issue with all of the different web sites and or any program that you install on your machine that may track one's actions than what some people think that Big Brother at Microsoft just may be doing.
> 
> Edit:
> Hope you do NOT use the cloud as they (Cloud venders) have more access to your data than Microsoft would, unless you are using their (Microsoft) cloud services?


Why won't people give me a straight answer? 

I know websites and stuff track you, but that's ONLY if you use their services. Like yeah, Google tracks what you do in their browser, on their search engine, and in their email, that kind of stuff, but they're not peeking at the contents of my hard drive.


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## Lanctus (Jul 20, 2017)

Al_Ciao said:


> Does no one know?
> 
> Specifically, does Windows 10 look at the contents of the hard drive? And does it keylog everything, or just things in Microsoft programs/apps?
> 
> I _do_ know there are ways of circumventing them, but I do want to know, please. Thanks


"Microsoft is publishing its documents detailing the Windows 10 data collection over at the company's TechNet site, and it plans to provide more information in the future. "We will also share more information about how we will ensure Windows 10 is compliant with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation," says Marisa Rogers, Microsoft's Windows and devices privacy officer."

This will tell you what MS/Win 10 is collecting. https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/5/1...10-data-collection-documents-privacy-concerns

"These latest privacy changes will arrive alongside a separate Windows Diagnostic Data Viewer. The viewer includes an overview of data being sent to Microsoft's servers by Windows 10. Microsoft collects a bunch of anonymous Windows 10 data from users to help improve the operating system and make product decisions. The new viewer is similar to something like Wireshark, and it lets Windows 10 users decrypt data that is sent encrypted to Microsoft's servers."
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/6/17086754/microsoft-windows-10-privacy-changes-features

To add to what DaveA said, cloud security is spotty (case in point, all the celebrities that have had their cloud accounts hacked, and personal pics released). I hope this answers some questions.


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> Why won't people give me a straight answer?
> 
> .....................................


Your worries seem more oriented to the data you've saved, being exposed.

Regardless of the operating system, it's safer to store data either encrypted or saved to external media.

I have more than one computer.
My solution:
All business, financial and family matters are saved to an offline computer running Win 7.
For Internet usage, I use Puppy Linux on a computer with no hard drive. Anything saved is done directly to a removable USB flash drive and eventually saved to that offline computer.
It limits most exposure.


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## DaveA (Nov 16, 1999)

We have all been giving you straight answers, but post 15 is the most complete.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Lanctus said:


> "Microsoft is publishing its documents detailing the Windows 10 data collection over at the company's TechNet site, and it plans to provide more information in the future. "We will also share more information about how we will ensure Windows 10 is compliant with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation," says Marisa Rogers, Microsoft's Windows and devices privacy officer."
> 
> This will tell you what MS/Win 10 is collecting. https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/5/1...10-data-collection-documents-privacy-concerns
> 
> ...


Thanks for the indepth answer!

I read both articles, and I looked at Microsoft's technical data, but unfortunately the latter is far too technical for me to comprehend.



Johnny b said:


> Your worries seem more oriented to the data you've saved, being exposed.


Yes. 



Johnny b said:


> I have more than one computer.
> My solution:
> All business, financial and family matters are saved to an offline computer running Win 7.
> For Internet usage, I use Puppy Linux on a computer with no hard drive. Anything saved is done directly to a removable USB flash drive and eventually saved to that offline computer.
> It limits most exposure.


So any OS might grab your hard drive saved data? o.0



DaveA said:


> We have all been giving you straight answers, but post 15 is the most complete.


Perhaps I'm not phrasing my question correctly, or perhaps I'm too ignorant to fully understand the answers I'm getting, but to me it sounds like all the answers are, "Don't worry about it," or "Here's what you can do to save your privacy," when neither of those are what I'm currently wanting to know. I want to know what Microsoft is looking at, rather than be told "It's not so bad."

I don't know if Windows 10 looks at the data I have saved on my hard drive. Does it?

I don't know if Windows 10's keylogger is logging every single keystroke in the OS, or only with Microsoft-specific programs/apps. Does it?

I know there's a way to safeguard my data, I know there's a way to turn off the keylogger. But I would still like to know what Windows 10 is doing.

To use an analogy, I want to know what the "disease" does, rather than just be told "Here's how you cure the disease," or "The disease isn't so bad, these other diseases are much worse."


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> ..............
> 
> So any OS might grab your hard drive saved data? o.0
> 
> ..................


I see it as more of a general security concern to restrict 'bad actors' from leveraging ( hacking ) into my systems by leaving malware to accomplish the stealing of identity and account info.
What isn't exposed to a network ( Internet for example ) is safer from acts of intrusion.

On my Linux platform where I use Puppy Linux booted from a USB flash drive, anything needing extra security ( like online purchases ) is done by booting from a USB flash drive with a 'write switch' so nothing can be written to it corrupting the OS with malware like a keystroke malware.
A session can get corrupted, but that corruption can't be saved.
So, it's not 'perfect' but it's miles ahead of MS in security.


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> .................
> 
> I don't know if Windows 10 looks at the data I have saved on my hard drive. Does it?
> 
> ...


I think you'll be frustrated with most answers.

I suggest you look into the 'world' of Linux for better security.
At the same time there is a reality that no OS is 100% secure.

Of those realities, included is the fact that every business, government functionary that you've ever had contact with has some particular data on you and everyone else, and they have been hacked in the past. 
There are massive data bases found online of supposedly legal accumulations with poor security that have exposed many millions of individual's identities.

I quit using MS online 3 years ago 
because of their inept updates. 
I use Puppy Linux because it has a rep for being safer.

What ever you do, good luck.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Johnny b said:


> I think you'll be frustrated with most answers.
> 
> I suggest you look into the 'world' of Linux for better security.
> At the same time there is a reality that no OS is 100% secure.
> ...


Thanks 

Like I said, I mostly just want to know the facts of what Windows 10 is doing at this point. Not how to protect myself (as I understand there are ways to do that), but simply what Windows10 _is_ doing. Businesses aren't looking at the contents of my hard drive for example.


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> Thanks
> ......................... Businesses aren't looking at the contents of my hard drive for example.


How do you know that?


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Windows is 'closed source' . There is no way of knowing what Windows is actually doing without seeing the source code, aside from what MS tells us.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

Johnny b said:


> How do you know that?


How would they be able to? They're not my OS.



lunarlander said:


> Windows is 'closed source' . There is no way of knowing what Windows is actually doing without seeing the source code, aside from what MS tells us.


Fair enough. We don't have any actual indications or clues?


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## managed (May 24, 2003)

The simple truth is if you don't trust Microsoft then don't use Windows.

As for Microsoft reading your hard drive or running a key-logger on your computer my guess is they don't but we only know what Microsoft tells us, the same as you.

It's not realistic to expect Microsoft to spy on us all like that, they are only interested in making money, so they will probably watch our browsing habits so they can send us ads we're more likely to be interested in.

If you see that as undesirable switch to Linux or get a Mac (but only if you trust Apple !).


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> How would they be able to? They're not my OS.
> 
> .......................


You assume only MS has the ability to install a keylogger or spy on your computer.
Obviously an error in judgement and the reason why anti-malware is installed on a computer for security.


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## Al_Ciao (Apr 11, 2011)

managed said:


> we only know what Microsoft tells us, the same as you.


Okay, thanks. I didn't realize we were in the dark about it 



Johnny b said:


> You assume only MS has the ability to install a keylogger or spy on your computer.
> Obviously an error in judgement and the reason why anti-malware is installed on a computer for security.


True, but anti-malware isn't going to flag Windows itself as a virus


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## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Al_Ciao said:


> ................
> 
> True, but anti-malware isn't going to flag Windows itself as a virus


A keylogger isn't a virus 
It's malware.

And I haven't heard of any non-MS antimalware apps finding a keylogger in Windows.
And before you question that, I have no idea what exactly Win 10 is sending back to Redmond. I've only read it relates to performance data.
And I've read many browsers do the same as well as other 3rd party apps.

Your NAT router logs should show inappropriate/unwanted connections, if you use one.
And with Win 7, I did set my firewall in advanced mode and restrict all but specific connections needed. And no Inappropriate MS connections were recorded ( before or after the rules were made )

Personally, I no longer use MS apps or OS' on any computer connected to a network.
Different reasons, though.

I'll probably never use Win 10.
And I do know how to get a free and legal upgrade.
Win 7 works offline perfectly for what I need.
And for the Internet, I found something better. ( IMO of course  )

So, a little paranoia is a good thing. But sometimes switching to a different OS enhances better mental health LOL!


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