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Microsoft is Privately Testing 'Bali,' a Way To Give Users Control of Data Collected About Them (zdnet.com)
Microsoft is working on a project codenamed "Bali," which is designed to give users control of data collected about them. The project is a Microsoft Research incubation effort and seems to be in private testing at this stage. From a report: I learned of the existence of Bali in a tweet from "Longhorn," which I saw via another Twitter user, "Walking Cat." Longhorn described Bali as "a project that can delete all your connection and account information (inverseprivacyproject)." I found a link to the Bali project page. That page allows those with a code to sign into the site and says those without a code can request one.
The "About" page for Bali describes it as a "new personal data bank which puts users in control of all data collected about them.... The bank will enable users to store all data (raw and inferred) generated by them. It will allow the user to visualize, manage, control, share and monetize the data."
The "About" page for Bali describes it as a "new personal data bank which puts users in control of all data collected about them.... The bank will enable users to store all data (raw and inferred) generated by them. It will allow the user to visualize, manage, control, share and monetize the data."
That's the fucking question, not whether you can force users to jump through hoops to maintain (the illusion of) basic privacy with some new portal, WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S FINE TO COLLECT ALL THIS BY DEFAULT?
The fuck do you think you are, Facebook?
It's going to be exciting to see the anti-MS haters find reasons that user privacy protections are bad and that this is somehow evil. Maybe in an evil world, doing good can be profitable?
"Bali" lets users control the data about themselves but for Bali to do that, the users have to give all that data to Bali.
And let it turn off updates, cortana and edge at the same time. But the only way to press the button at the moment is to get a penguin to do it.
I cannot imagine professional security folks would use such a system. Even college dropouts are smarter than this. I really wish Microsoft and others would step up the game. I really believe they are literally operating an order of magnitude below where they ought to be. I have seen things which could literally be fixed in a couple hours and literally take months or years for these companies. It really is not worth the time. Even heavily censored crippleware is running at light speed compared to all these projects
The service will only cost 9.99/Mo and be free for advertisers. User will be "rewarded" with "valuable coupons" "discount offers".
At best, the service will enable users to be "fee neutral". All users have to give for this would be
Banking information
Credit Card information
D.O.B
SSN
Job History
Education History
Family History
Dating History
Medical History
Facebook access
Linkedin access
All files on the PC access
Car Insurance information
Home Insurance information
GPS location at all times
and of course it would also slurp fitness trackers, Office365, and all other sources of information, and have an always-on microphone for Cortana.
How about not collecting the fucking data in the first place? Will Nerdella give people that option?
User privacy protections aren't bad, but the best thing would be for MS to give users the real option of going cloudfree, not nudging users (hard) to cloud-up their personal data.
Here's the problem with what you're saying: Since 'privacy laws' here in the U.S. are a joke, this control over your 'privacy' only has meaning so long as Microsoft says it does. If they decide to terminate the project a few years from now, do you really think they'll just overwrite and delete that data, or are they going to invoke some clause in the convoluted privacy agreement associated with this and do whatever they want with the data anyway? If, considering Microsofts' behavior overall to-date, you really think they're going to turn around and be 100% benevolent and transparent, then you're horribly naive.
The only way to protect any measure of your privacy anymore is to give your personal data to NO ONE. Even then you're only preserving a modicum of your privacy.
Way To Give Users Control of Data Collected About Them
Step 1:
DO NOT collect data about users
Done.
It will not give any kind of control at all. It will only give them the illusion of control. Much like your bank account. Illusion of control... one command from the IRS without even a warrant can cut you flat off from your money. This is what power structure is all about. Letting people exercise the control you want to allow them to have until you have a reason to stop that control.
Always... the person with the power to give or take control is the one in control. Any control you think you have is only at their pleasure. Microsoft will be very bit as bad with your data as Facebook will be, however they might be smarter about how they let people access it so that who is using that data is harder to find out for public perception reasons.
I'm assuming this is data collected by Microsoft, hard to imagine it would extend to any other services (FB, Twitter, etc.). Still, it would be interesting to see what data they've collected on me, since we use Office 365 here at work.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
They know how much I weigh and how often I change underwear? I swear it's not my fault, the washing machine broke and I had to push the limits of modern fabrics!
Like the thought that somebody might not want this never crosses their mind. Of course you want this. You love sharing.
So. Now that we established how much you LOVE sharing, who can we share you with?
It is literally dead on arrival, as they say. And Microsoft should get real
How about software written that doesn't try to force you into the cloud. How about controls that truly limit information leaks from your browser that can be used to fingerprint you, such as always reply with the same font list regardless of what you have on your computer, or refuse to give up mouse hover location, and do not send keystrokes in real time, require a click or OK to send form data as a completed field rather than streamed. Take away every avenue used for unique identification by default at the browser level. Unique identification should only be possible if the user signs in with credentials.
Digital is, by definition, imperfect. Analog is the way to go.
They will be using quite a different definition for words like control and privacy than the rest of us.
Having to use a Microsoft site to "control" your information is not exactly what I call being in control.
it has been weeks since some cloud vendor was breached, so we are all good on the cloud.... o wait
This seems to be focused on encouraging users to sell their data though... I'm guessing there is no "don't even collect it, and delete anything accidentally collected, basically just nuke it from orbit" button.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
"anti-MS haters" so... MSturfers?
This is just as bad as Google's version. You have to create an account just to see part of the data they have on you, let alone make them pretend to delete some.
Microsoft : "give us all your personal data and we can control who can access if for you. You can trust us."
This is dumber than Facebook wanting you to give them your nudes so they can make sure nobody posts them online.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Tell me more about the monetize part... If I can select what is sold and I get paid for it, we might have something there.
anti-MS haters
Just because you don't like something it doesn't make you a 'hater'.. grow the fuck up snowflake, you sound like a Bieber fan.
Are you that fucked in the head that you can't see the problem with this ?
I'll give you a clue, you shouldn't need to go to a website with a 'special code' to delete this shit, it should be an option built into Windows so that users can opt out of MS grabbing this data in the first place.
George Maharis already took care of this with Fake Block.
Google purportedly gives you access to control a lot of your 'data' on their apps and websites. It only takes digging through hundreds of obscure settings and un-obvious control schemes, individual devices, and individual applications.
And even then you'll find that they add new "settings" without telling you and default them to the on position, so they're getting information you never even knew they were grabbing.
An opt-in system is the ONLY system that should be allowed, and not the EULA opt-in system. A system where you have to click every single checkbox for every bit of information they intend to collect.
Or you could just avoid all this and download my awesome Android Flashlight app. I swear it only turns your phone's LED on and off. Promise.
Are you saying that we should email all of our naked porn pics to Bali so it can insure it doesn't collect or use that data? I seem to remember that not working out well in the past.
- and -
2) Why the hell is Microsoft collecting data about me?
I'm going to have to completely disagree with you. The Do Not Track flag in browsers worked out perfectly.
Right, but most probably just a placebo to muzzle those whom voice their healthy concerns about privacy and discredit anyone who still complains.
The code is because it's a limited beta.
If you think MS or Google or FB or anyone is going to allow you to control what they collect about you and who they SELL your information to you have not been paying attention.
Purge it all. Kthx
And I am going to trust MS? Why?
How about letting customers actually NOT HAVE ANY DATA collected about them???
Microsoft doesn't give a shit about customer privacy.
Except Android is open source and can be used totally independent of Google.
Also, nice whataboutism.
(User unchecks a hundred things they clicked on.)
"Thank you. We will remember that!" (Proceeds to put you into advertising bins based on what you told then not to follow you about.)
Better check the fine print.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Seriously... if I were to promote a new idea by letting out a tweet... I would make damn sure my prescious cloud service would be a bit of âscalableâ(TM) and âhigh bandwidthâ(TM) among other essential cloud characteristics!
Here's a hater telling Microsoft what to do with their product. A hater calling someone a snowflake. A hater invoking Beibwin's Law, for pete's sake!
You were correct in your first dozen words and then you completely destroyed your own argument. With 5 more words.
Hater.
...Microsoft have already missed the deadline for GDPR compliance by about 9 months and they're still stalling until the EU is actually going to fine them. The fines will be massive, BTW.
Go FUCK themselves. They want to give users control? How fucking so nice of them! Keep using Windows you clowns...
Ironic. Bali in Hindi and several other Indic languages means an object to be sacrificed for the greater good. Doesn't take a genius to guess who is the sacrificial lamb here.
Yes, I know, Bali is a place in Indonesia too.
Any company you call In U.S. you get prompted that this call in recorded for âoequality controlâ. Well there is no options to say no. Please do not record. Since we do not have such option please tell them you are recording for same reason. Perhaps we can all post them somewhere like that dude do with Comcast when he was trying to disconnect his service that was all over the net. Remember you have to tell them you are also recording by law. Well that is what I started to do. They do talk very different when they are on record. Else we all will be wining here with out any real purpose
Microsoft would have to be the least trustworthy arseholes.
Do they think their shit don't stink ???
Go well
Microsoft can plot all they want, but it won't get any of my trust.
Saying "bali" when playing a game as a kid always meant you were "safe" or "pausing" for a second. Sounds like a weird name for a service like this.
Almost. The setting should be to opt-in. Even better: no choice and no data collection.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
For the same reasons that DRM fails. It's not generally possible to prevent somebody who owns or controls computing resources from using them to copy, edit, modify, manipulate or transmit any data that they acquire, whether that be sports statistics, media or the personal information of others. The idea that one can remotely reach into systems that one does not control or likely even know about and restrict what they do with local data is more or less nonsense. Moreover the Cambridge Analyticas and Internet Research Agencies of this world are not going to stop acquiring data and using it for their own ends. The data is worth too much, the results are too powerful and the data and computing resources are too widely distributed for the laws of nation states to deter. The data wars are only just beginning and the 2016 Presidential Elections in the US where only the opening battle in what is sure to be a long cyber war between nation states and private non-state actors. As the cyberpunk authors of science fiction suggested, the street does indeed find its own uses for new technologies.
No. The default in Windows should be not to collect any data.
The "checkbox" in Windows should for the user to direct Windows to collect and send data to Microsoft.
Any attempt to delete verifies the data as yours and leaves breadcrumbs for cross reference. Verified customer data is more profitable than random numbers.
This is a war on privacy and personal freedoms. Anonymity is your friend. Protect it.
Stop fucking bring up a competitor. Focus on TOPIC
Did you miss the part where he said GOOGLES version?
Stop foaming at the mouth with hate all the time. Jesus Christ.
Google's version is Android. Android is open source.
Show me open source Windows, M$ shill.
Or some other data?
I mean come one, the damage is done. The evil is already built in and we have to "trust" that they'll turn it off when we say we want it off after people have proven time and time again that Windows still phones home no matter what.
Microsoft is the very definition of evil and the 2010s will be known as the start of humans using technology for evil.
Collection of data is completely UNNECESSARY to literally the majority of the functionality of the things that do it.
Instead of spending so much time to develop some convoluted scheme to give people the impression that you give a crap about their privacy how about you STOP COLLECTING DATA ON THEM.
You do NOT need to collect data on location for driving directions. All location data can stay on the phone itself. It does not need to be saved by anything.
This is why I will never use Microsoft anything and I am moving to not use Google anything. I recently stopped using Apple anything so it's been very hard to stop using Google.
- Alex