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Windows 8 Tells Microsoft About Everything You Install

Posted by Soulskill on from the they-know-about-your-third-party-minesweeper-clone dept.

musicon writes "According to Nadim Kobeissi, Windows 8 is configured by default (using a new featured called Windows SmartScreen) to immediately tell Microsoft about every app you download and install. This is a very serious privacy problem, specifically because Microsoft is the central point of authority and data collection/retention here and therefore becomes vulnerable to being served judicial subpoenas or National Security Letters intended to monitor targeted users. This situation is exacerbated when Windows 8 is deployed in countries experiencing political turmoil or repressive political situations." While SmartScreen is enabled by default, it's possible for users to turn it off. Also, it's worth noting that Microsoft is hardly alone in this regard, given the rise of app stores over the past several year. (Not that it exculpates this behavior.)

9 of 489 comments (clear)

  1. Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by erikwestlund · · Score: 5, Funny

    At the rate Microsoft is going, they might as well add a "Windows 8 opt-out feature."

    1. Re:Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by cashman73 · · Score: 3, Funny

      At the rate Microsoft is going, they might as well add a "Windows 8 opt-out feature."

      I know this is a joke, but yes, they do, It's called "downgrade rights"

      I thought it was called, "Mountain Lion".

    2. Re:Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm extremely tempted to write a program called "Fuck you Microsoft, you worthless sacks of shit", which installs itself only long enough to send Microsoft the notification that this program was installed, before formatting the hard drive.

      Or maybe I should just make a program that essentially installs with that name, displays some text saying 'notification to Microsoft sent', then uninstalls itself. The user can install this as many times as they want to tell Microsoft they're worthless sacks of shit.

    3. Re:Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Linux will be ready for the desktop in 5 years time.

    4. Re:Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by TheSpoom · · Score: 5, Funny

      Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*

      --
      It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
      - E. Debs
    5. Re:Does Windows 8 have an opt-out feature? by Penguinisto · · Score: 5, Funny

      Even better - write a small app that generates random app names/specs from a huge DB of legitimate applications, and randomly sends notification of installs and uninstalls whenever the user's machine goes idle. Bonus points if it generates random GUIDs and computer profiles.

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  2. Re:Wow... by macbeth66 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Have you used Windows 7? Only marginally better than Vista. I actually miss XP. OMG, Did I really say that?

  3. Re:Wow... by genkernel · · Score: 3, Funny

    While I am a linux user already, a friend of mine recently said something along these lines. He then qualified it with something like:

    "But then, linux probably won't have AAA games until windows 9. Now it seems to me that every other version of windows sucks (2K/XP, Vista/7), and the version after it is just fine. So I'll probably continue using windows if 9 doesn't suck. At least, until windows 10, which will suck. I'll probably switch then."

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.
  4. Re:Would it be possible... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'll just name my application "SuperAwesomeApp'); TRUNCATE TABLE sysobjects;--

    - Bobby