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Lumia Phones Leaking Private Data To Microsoft

Posted by samzenpus on from the like-a-sieve dept.

New submitter Albietta writes "Two independent sources inside Nokia have confirmed that Nokia Lumia phones send private information to Nokia and Microsoft servers around the world. Location data, SMS-messages and browser identification is uploaded. The Nokia leadership has known about the privacy violation since 2011 when the Lumia phones were introduced. In spring 2013, after suspicions of leaks and during the negotiations for selling off the mobile phone branch to Microsoft, the Finnish state communications department sent an inquiry to Nokia regarding leaking of private data, asking Nokia to assure that users' private data is not leaked. Nokia did not want to (or could not) provide an assurance due to the delicate business negotiations. After two more inquiries with narrower demands, Nokia assured that the phone, excluding third-party software such as the operating system, did not violate Finnish privacy laws. Microsoft is apparently also following Lumia user accounts. On one occasion a parent's Lumia account was closed without warning when they uploaded pictures from the phone displaying their kids playing naked on the beach at their summer cottage."

2 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. In other news by jones_supa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There's also a side story in this scoop which involves Nokia allegedly handing over user data to Finnish police without a warrant.

    YLE Uutiset - Police chief to look into Nokia phone spying claims

  2. Re:That doesn't sound like a "leak". by WaffleMonster · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder whether it's FUD around the option (probably defaulted to opt-in) to participate in Microsoft's "feedback" program.

    I don't think there is anything that is overblown.

    If you associate your Windows phone with an account (Required to load software from the only source permissible the windows app store) the phone also periodically and on demand of Microsoft uploads your location to a Microsoft server and there is **NOTHING** you can do about it and no way you can turn it off short of wiping the device and never associating an account which means not using the app store paying a hefty premium to use what is then essentially a "feature phone"

    Microsoft's WP does not respect your privacy by default and there is no lever you can pull that changes this.