Dutch DPA: Windows 10 Still Violates EU Data Protection Law

[Lucian Armasu]

The Dutch Data Protection Authority revealed that Microsoft continues to track user's behavior on Windows 10 and collect their data in ways that aren't compatible with the EU data protection legislation.

Dutch DPA: Windows 10 Still Violates EU Data Protection Law : Read more

 

[Ditt44]

1. MS will never change. They'll dance the dance, especially in the US where laws allow pervasive data collection;

2. AGAIN with the freaking 'pop-up/chase me' video boxes??? MY GOD people. Enough. You managed to remove them for a few months. Sad little devs trying to sneak them back in again...thinking people have forgotten? Bah.

 

[ssdpro]

1. MS has no reason to change. MS doesn't invade anyone's privacy. The user purchases a license to use the product, the user agrees to the terms and conditions, the user accepts functionality by licensing the product. If MS products were forced on people and data was collected on those people then that would be an invasion of privacy.

2. Agreed.

 

[hellwig]

How is Microsoft allowed to "avoid" the fine after they've already broken the law? If they are found to be violating the law, fine them, and continue fining them until they fix it.

These corporations are not dumb, they know EXACTLY what they're doing. They capture ALL information, and then keep pairing it back until people stop complaining. They should be FORCED to limit collection reasonably from the get-go.

Imagine if you stole a car in the U.S. and drove it across a state-line. Boom, that's a Federal Crime so the FBI is after you. But instead of arresting you, they just made you promise not to steal a car AND drive it across the line next time. So the next time, you just steal a car and drive it one county over. Boom, now it's a local crime. The FBI is placated and you go about your business. Oh, and at no point are you required to RETURN any of the cars.

The world doesn't work that way for people, why does it work that way for corporations?

 

[jeffreydanielbyers]

SSDPRO,
Did you even read the article?

 

[JonDol]

I decided long ago to not wait for MS to fix their snooping policy and I use some tools like DoNotSpy10 and W10Privacy that stop many if not all (am I too naïve ?) data collection and sending. Then inspired by the features of these Windows 10 tools I applied some of their features back to my other Windows 8.1/7 machines and I don't count on stopping to use these tools...

 

[mihen]

So... how is Android still able to be sold in the EU with these laws since they do far worse snooping and selling of user data.

 

[JonDol]

@mihen: I think there are still enough money to "suck" from MS, Google and Facebook so there is no really need in EU to look further but I have no fear that the Android's time is not too far.

Some examples from my mother's brand new Android phone: by default it stores the WiFi password (one of my best preserved secrets, btw) in the cloud, the calculator app had access to location and contacts etc. On that brand new phone with 2-3 apps installed, I needed about two hours to reduce the preinstalled apps permissions to the minimum required for their job and clean all their stored data...

One day, one day...

 

[RomeoReject]

Mihen, I'm not sure how it factors, but my last two phones both asked for permissions EVERYTHING the first time they were run (Hell, even Chrome had to ask). I was allowed to deny permissions, though the individual app that was denied wouldn't run as a result.

I would assume Microsoft is in trouble because there is no true "Deny" option. It's only "Yes" or "Somewhat Yes".

 

[Christopher1]

Microsoft to Dutch DPA: Quit whining or we will just pull our software totally from your region and the entire EU if we have to!

Really, I am big on privacy but I see this as a bunch of whining by the E.U.
Everything that Microsoft 'harvests' from Windows 10 is anonymized. They cannot find out who you are simply from that anonymized stuff.

 

[Christopher1]

I would assume Microsoft is in trouble because there is no true "Deny" option. It's only "Yes" or "Somewhat Yes".

There is only a "Yes" or "Somewhat Yes" option because Cortana DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY if you turn everything off.
Really people get used to the fact that Microsoft is going to be harvesting data but remember this: ALL ANONYMIZED!

They cannot track anything back to you in the real world or at least not easily!

I would be much more worried about using any random website on the internet and having their tracking software track me.

 

[RomeoReject]

I would assume Microsoft is in trouble because there is no true "Deny" option. It's only "Yes" or "Somewhat Yes".

There is only a "Yes" or "Somewhat Yes" option because Cortana DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY if you turn everything off.
Really people get used to the fact that Microsoft is going to be harvesting data but remember this: ALL ANONYMIZED!

They cannot track anything back to you in the real world or at least not easily!

I would be much more worried about using any random website on the internet and having their tracking software track me.

I love how you acknowledge what I said was correct, yet downvoted it. Awesome.

Anyways, I don't particularly care, as I'm not on W10, but people should have the option to use their OS as they damn please. Saying "turning off that stuff will break one feature of our things - and also prevent us from sending you ads" is hardly a good enough reason. Especially when, as I pointed out, you're free to do so on Android - even if it prevents certain things from running.