Windows 10 SHOCK: Fans left fearing Microsoft is watching WITHOUT their permission

[The AchieVer]

WINDOWS 10 fans have been dealt a shock update which left them fearing Microsoft had been watching their PC activity without their permission.

Ever since Windows 10 was released the flagship Microsoft OS has been trying to play catch up to an older piece of software - Windows 7.

According to NetMarketShare stats, last month Windows 10 was at last approaching the crossover point with Windows 7.

 

NetMarketShare stats show in November 2018 Windows 10 had a 38.14 per cent chunk of the desktop OS share

 

 

This is just a whisker behind Windows 7 on 38.89 per cent.

And this is a huge improvement compared to the same time last year, when Windows 7 had a 43.12 per cent market share while Windows 10 was on 31.95 per cent.

It’s surely only a matter of time till Windows 10 officially becomes the most used operating system in the world.

And its huge user base was recently put on alert after shock privacy fears emerged.

Windows 10 - Microsoft fans were left fearing they were having their activity tracked (Image: MICROSOFT)

A Windows 10 user reported earlier this week that the OS may have been logging Activity History data even when the setting was off.

Even with Activity History turned off on Windows 10 the Redditor said that wasn’t the case for the online Privacy Dashboard.

The Reddit post - which you can read in full by clicking here - received almost 200 upvotes, with users left stunned by the development.

However, Microsoft has come out to reassure fans and say that there’s no reason to fear for their privacy.

Windows 10 - PC fans were left fearing activity was being tracked without permission (Image: MICROSOFT)

The Redmond-based tech giant said Activity History in Windows 10 refers to something different in the Privacy Dashboard.

The latter covers all Microsoft apps and services, while the former relates just to Windows 10.

They said this “naming issue” should be clarified in a future update.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, a Microsoft spokesperson said: “Microsoft is committed to customer privacy, being transparent about the data we collect and use for your benefit, and we give you controls to manage your data.

Windows 10 - Microsoft have responded to the privacy claims (Image: MICROSOFT)

“In this case, the same term ‘Activity History’ is used in both Windows 10 and the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard.

“Windows 10 Activity History data is only a subset of the data displayed in the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard.

“We are working to address this naming issue in a future update.”

Microsoft also offered advice on how to stop Windows 10 sharing apps and services' Activity History with them.

Windows 10 - Microsoft said the issue derives from a 'naming issue' (Image: MICROSOFT)

 

They said: “If a customer wants to prevent their Windows 10 device from sending apps and service Activity History to Microsoft they need to use the following two Windows Settings configurations.

“Under Settings->Privacy->Activity history: ensure the setting “Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud” is not checked - learn more here.

“Under Settings->Privacy->Diagnostics & feedback: ensure Diagnostic data is set to Basic - learn more here.”

 

In other Windows 10 news, Microsoft this week patched out dozens of issues with the software.

Almost 40 vulnerabilities in Windows 10 have been discovered including one zero-day security flaw that was being exploited by hackers.

The latter was discovered by Kaspersky and it allowed hackers to carry out a full remote command execution exploit.

Thankfully, Microsoft has now fixed these 39 issues with their latest patch Tuesday release.

 

source

[spudboy]

One problem with Microsoft's own reply. There is no setting under Settings->Privacy->Activity history that says “Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud”. How does one disable that when it's not even there? Lmao.

[steven36]

6 minutes ago, spudboy said:

One problem with Microsoft's own reply. There is no setting under Settings->Privacy->Activity history that says “Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud”. How does one disable that when it's not even there? Lmao.

You mean you took time too read this?  I looked at the source and stopped  right there ! 

[spudboy]

8 minutes ago, steven36 said:

You mean you took time too read this?  I looked at the source and stopped  right there ! 

 

Sure, why not? It took all of maybe 60 seconds of my day. And the 'advice' came from Microsoft, not from the article source. 😉 That's why I was laughing.

[steven36]

12 minutes ago, spudboy said:

 

Sure, why not? It took all of maybe 60 seconds of my day. And the 'advice' came from Microsoft, not from the article source. 😉 That's why I was laughing.

I don't read stuff from Express UK 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Express#Controversies

 

UK tabloid Express steps up clickbait headlines to trick users

https://www.thatsnonsense.com/uk-tabloid-express-steps-clickbait-headlines-trick-users/

[knowledge-Spammer]

removed befor mods do it

[steven36]

1 minute ago, knowledge said:

windows 7 fine

xp fine 

 

XP has spying in it  there was no way to opt out of like they is in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 but out of the box it was not turned  off  and  now with them using cumulative updates  i don't even think it can be disabled if you do auto updates for Windows 7  or Windows 8.1. Windows 10 Firewall control can stop it from spying !

 

Just Like Windows 10, Windows 7 and 8 Also Spy on You

https://thehackernews.com/2015/08/windows-spying-on-you.html

 

xp antispy

https://xp-antispy.org/en/

 

 

Quote

Microsoft's Windows XP operating system was not universally loved when it came first out as it was criticized by part of its user base for phone home functionality and other invasive features.

 

https://www.ghacks.net/2015/11/18/xp-antispy-comback-for-windows-10/

[Jogs]

   Dump PC, dump mobile phone, I will go to the jungle build a stone hut and live peacefully all alone.

[knowledge-Spammer]

removed befor mods do it

[steven36]

1 minute ago, knowledge said:

with windows xp and 7 and 8,1 its much easier to stop the spying on u

 

  but windows 10 i give up on it nowdays as i no like  they have more power then me and my firewalls and programs   when they have more power then the users its time to say by

Yes this is true but just like people who use O&O shut-up today   , I used  Windows XP Anti-Spy  way back in the early 2000s ... For Windows 7 and Windows8.1  you could opt out but now  they use cumulative  updates were you cant opt out of it any longer Diagnostics and Telemetry are baked in cumulative updates  via auto updates Windows 7 and Windows  8.1.

[ThisPC666]

when Apple/iphone does it, no one bats an eye. but when someone suspects something on microsoft, everybody loses their minds. 🙄

[knowledge-Spammer]

removed befor mods do it

[steven36]

12 minutes ago, ThisPC666 said:

when Apple/iphone does it, no one bats an eye. but when someone suspects something on microsoft, everybody loses their minds. 🙄

i never lost my mind  i just block it with a firewall  and that's that ,   I don't use Apple software , I only use Linux and Windows  so what Apple does  is no concern  to me i just pirate there music sometimes . Unless they come down on there prices Apple want ever concern me.  You can buy a Windows PC cheaper  and if you don't want to use Windows 10 you can put Linux on it instead  .Same as you can buy and Android phone  cheaper than Apple and if you don't like Google you can install another version of Android on it.

[steven36]

30 minutes ago, knowledge said:

i use windows 8.1 i have to for tests on some programs with fixs and things  as windows 10 make some problems with fixs and things we work on  so i have used windows 10 not long ago  and still have  but its just for tests of fixs

 

on my windows 8.1 i block all updates so it cant never update  i cant update if i wanted to   and it spy much less on me as i see from tests that windows 10 i cant use again as not trust it much nowdays

 

 

Windows 8.1  is much more stable  and  a better OS  than Windows 10 anyway its what i use , other then it calling home  witch can be blocked just like it can be on Windows 10  its great  but i hardly even boot  in windows anymore but if you reversing Windows programs  you need Windows. if your cracking in Windows 8.1 it could cause problems with Windows 10 users . i had  a friend who cracked on Windows xp sp 2  and his cracks would not work on Windows Xp sp 3 or newer so he had to start cracking in a vm with Windows 7 .  Windows has backward compatibly  but not so much forward  compatibly .

[knowledge-Spammer]

removed befor mods do it

[BimBamSmash]

Say, how does macOS perform in the field? I have been monitoring network activities on some of our Macs at workplace and the newest version of the OS sure is making healthy connections to a very long list of Apple domains on a regular basis.