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Microsoft Sued by a Beijing Student Over 'Privacy Violation'

Posted by Zonk on from the guy-thinks-highly-of-himself dept.

freakxx writes "Xinhua report that a Beijing University student has sued Microsoft for allegedly gathering personal information via Windows Genuine Advantage. He has demanded a compensation of 1,350 RMB (around US$ 180) and an open apology printed in a national newspaper. The student has accused Microsoft of using WGA to gather information about his computer and himself, rather than solely checking whether or not the installed Windows XP system was genuine. A Microsoft spokesman has declined to speak on this issue and said that the matter is under investigation."

17 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. Priceless by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Copy of Windows in China: $10

    Settlement of legal dispute: $150

    Suing Microsoft for collecting your personal info when you live in the People's Republic of China: Priceless.

    There are some things you can blame on the government. For everything else, there's Microsoft.

    --
    Apology to Ubuntu forum.
    1. Re:Priceless by necro2607 · · Score: 2, Funny

      /me watches as Mastercard sends a takedown notice to /. regarding the parent post ;)

    2. Re:Priceless by davester666 · · Score: 5, Funny

      "A Microsoft spokesman has declined to speak on this issue and said that the matter is under investigation"

      In a press release, MS claims:

      We have NO idea what information is gathered as part of WGA. We promise to investigate what information is gathered, and then blame the collection of personal information on a rogue programmer who did it without the permission or knowledge of management. In the future, we promise to encrypt all the personal information we collect so you can't tell that we are doing this anymore.

      No more than 2 puppies were killed to produce this press release.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  2. Self worth by athdemo · · Score: 5, Funny

    $180? Where's the self-esteem, guy? They violated you!

    1. Re:Self worth by HappySmileMan · · Score: 5, Funny

      $180? Where's the self-esteem, guy? They violated you! I know... I've never paid more than 75 to be violated...

      Wait, what are we talking about?
    2. Re:Self worth by ILikeRed · · Score: 5, Funny

      But just think - there goes 25% of Microsoft's Vista sales in China.

      --
      I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress -J Adams
    3. Re:Self worth by athdemo · · Score: 3, Funny

      I don't know, my definition of prostitution is getting really blurred. You pay? She pays? I just don't know anymore...

    4. Re:Self worth by modecx · · Score: 2, Funny

      Who said anything about a "she"?

      --
      Constitutional rights may be respected, repealed, or modified; but they must never be ignored.
  3. If only... by Starteck81 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...He could do the same to his own government.

    --
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed H
  4. Re:M$ should be abelto forceM$ should be able to.. by initdeep · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only if they can also force people who can barely construct sentences to go back to school before posting on public forums as well........

  5. Re:I'd rather Microsoft have my info by athdemo · · Score: 2, Funny

    You trust Microsoft, but not /.? Coward!

  6. Re:M$ should be abelto forceM$ should be able to.. by aevan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't know...forcing people to sing contracts when they agree, might severely cut back on their [EULA]length. I know my voice would.

  7. We're doomed by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    They are gaining in space, have cheaper manufacturing, out-hacked us (pentagon penetration last week), and finally they are taking our last remaining comparative advantage away: law-suits.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Why so stingy by Nonillion · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dude, it's Microsoft. You need to move that decimal place at least six more places to the right.

    --
    "I bow to no man" - Riddick
    1. Re:Why so stingy by belmolis · · Score: 3, Funny

      You need to move that decimal place at least six more places to the right.

      Not a problem. If he wins, millions of other Chinese will follow suit. I don't think that China has class actions, so Microsoft will have the fun and expense of defending each suit separately if they don't settle.

  9. Re:Customers. by fireboy1919 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Customer:
    1) Person who potentially buys things. The one they buy from is known as a vendor.
    2) (Microsoft dfn). Ugly bags of mostly water+some money. The idea is to get the money out of the bags and then be able to keep it. For some reason, the bags sort of hold on to it when it's being taken.

    --
    Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
  10. Re:He's Chinese He Has No Rights! by revengebomber · · Score: 3, Funny

    And, er, which country would you suggest he move to? Are you under the impression that there are any countries that don't collect personal data on their inhabitants and conduct surveillance on them? (I omit wiretaps, of course, as there are lots of countries that don't do that.) Sealand!
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