Microsoft Microsoft's Joe Belfiore: Collecting Windows 10 Data Helps the Ecosystem

[vissha]

Microsoft's Joe Belfiore: Collecting Windows 10 Data Helps the Ecosystem

The company's VP comments on Windows 10 data collection

Windows 10 has a privacy issue, no matter if Microsoft acknowledges or not, and it's no secret that there are users out there who have refused to upgrade to the new OS just because the company collects too much information from their computers.

While the software giant claims that it offers users full control over the information that's being collected, there are a number of services that still run despite these settings. Microsoft says they are the services being used to send app crash data to its servers, and everything is encrypted, so no personal data is put at risk.

“We need that data because it's our OS”

Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's VP, has said in an interview with CW that it's not privacy violation what the company does when it collects information about its own operating system that needs to be further improved to prevent any crashes or issues that might be occurring on users' computers.

“In the case of knowing that our system that we've created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem, and [therefore] not an issue of personal privacy, that today, we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone,” Belfiore is quoted as saying.

“In the cases where we've not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system, and are not personal information or are not related to privacy.”

Belfiore does have a point here because Windows 10 is Microsoft's software running Microsoft's apps and services and getting Microsoft's updates. In order to get updates that would address issues and improve performance, the company needs these app crash logs, and if users refuse to hand them over, it's nearly impossible to make Windows 10 work more smoothly.

Obviously, users call for the power to choose whether they want to share this info or not, so the privacy dispute remains no matter what Microsoft says. Changes in the way these settings are being offered are what everyone's expecting for, so unless they arrive, some people might simply refuse to upgrade.

Source

[edwardecl]

Until they throw in a software update to accidentally leak your private info to their "cash report" servers without you knowing because it can upload whatever the hell it like whenever it likes without your permission.