Here’s some of the info Microsoft collects from Win7 and 8.1 machines

Topic

New Reply

I just bumped into this document, which gives a 33-page list of the “telemetry” data that admins can tap into, to see how their monitored systems are
[See the full post at: Here’s some of the info Microsoft collects from Win7 and 8.1 machines]

Reply | Quote

Replies

Hi Woody–appreciate your website. Don’t know if you discuss browsers. Was reading an article in the newspaper about the amount of data mining done by Google. I use Chrome on Windows 7 and have been surprised at the ads that pop up on various email accounts. For example if I go to ebay, then ads come up on yahoo, aol, gmail, as well as google searches. Is another browser better? Also, is there something (simple) I can do to better protect my privacy?
Thanks!

Reply | Quote

It’s a complex question, which I discuss in my Windows books.

Bottom line: Chrome mines your data, Google Search mines your data, almost every web site these days (except this one) mines your data, your email is often scanned for data, the files you store on web sites are frequently scanned, even your uploaded photos are scanned and mined, and chances are very good your Internet Service Provider also mines your data. Increasingly, Windows is also mining your data.

To me, data mining comes in two forms. On the one hand, you have mining that’s used to convince you to click on an ad. On the other hand, you have mining that’s used to do something you don’t want done – profiling, government snooping, and myriad other nefarious purposes.

The problem, in a nutshell, is that it’s hard to know (a) what data is being mined and (b) how it will be used.

It’s not just a computer issue. Credit card companies already mine enormous amounts of data. Your grocery store. Your car is going to start collecting more data about you. Your thermostat. Your refrigerator. Your vacuum cleaner. Your bathroom mirror.

So you have to ask yourself how much mining you can stand. It’s not an easy question to answer – and it’s even harder to put boundaries into effect.

If data mining bugs you, the easiest approach is to detach yourself from the web, don’t use a phone, give up on TV, watch out for the products you buy, and always use cash or bitcoin.

If you’re willing to give up a bit of your privacy in exchange for stuff you like, then you have myriad ways of doling out a little bit of privacy. The important thing, to me, is that companies that collect data should warn you about it, clearly and completely, and give you a method for reviewing and removing data you don’t like. Microsoft doesn’t do that, and it’s one of the main things that bugs me about Windows.

To minimize data mining, you should start by using Firefox, with duckduckgo as a search engine. You may or may not want to use an ad blocker – which are getting a very bad rap, well deserved, for taking kickbacks and mining their own data.

Those are easy steps for Windows users.

For a more advanced approach, you also need to switch to Linux, probably need to use a VPN and run through Tor…. and, well, you get the idea. It ain’t easy.

Reply | Quote

Take a look at Epic Privacy Browser. Simple to use and provides a little box counting the number of spying intrusions it is blocking at any given moment.

Reply | Quote

Have already mentioned this previously…….. on other posts…. I use a flavour of Chrome……. it’s Iron which is out of Germany by SRWare
http://www.srware.net/en/software.php and I also used a site that spoke about how to harden your browser which shows you what settings you need to check on your respective browser and he speaks about Iron
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-harden-your-browser-against-malware-and-privacy-concerns.htm
Also I use AdBlocker Plus, Ghostery and Privacy Badger that really help to keep all those trackers and ads at bay. It’s amazing how many trackers are on just the newspapers online……. dozens of them… and ads of course.

He also mentions Start Page which doesn’t track or record your IP address and you can also use their Proxy to view links ……. which is also something I use, rather than Google (although StartPage ties in with Google… SP is Dutch) and I have been for quite a while now before I even read this article.

All this is part of limiting the amount that is mined by various companies whilst browsing. A proxy too is another way. I use Security Kiss which is out of Ireland…. I use their free a/c which allows 300mb daily……… and if I go over I buy an allowance….. we don’t use it all the time… but it’s something that is good to have.
When looking at Proxies originally it’s important to know about them and how much they store themselves etc. Also it’s important too where they are based as in some countries they are more obliged to the authorities in co-operating with them when asked. So I steer away from places like the States (sorry Woody!) and a few others!!

Not that you’re doing anything wrong…….. but my feelings are it’s our privacy and it’s our choice who we tell about ourselves and what we do.

Hope this can help you towards having a more peaceful browsing experience! LT

Reply | Quote

@woody;

Re: Data Mining

https://www.askwoody.com/2016/heres-some-of-the-info-microsoft-collects-from-win7-and-8-1-machines/#comment-93797

Thanks for an excellent precis of a complex issue.

New subject: I expect the M$FT war on Win 7/8.1 users will not end tomorrow night.

I can imagine continued “inadvertent” bumbled updates, long search times and many other guerilla tactics beyond my imagination to help us “get our minds right” and do what BB wants…
……As long as it takes.

Redmond’s stance seems to be “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate!”
JF

Reply | Quote

Firefox is the best, IE11 is the next and Chrome is the last of the mainstream browsers for privacy. Make sure that you disable the 3rd party cookies on each browser used, while allowing 1st party cookies. This is perfectly legit and will not break internet standards, unlike what Microsoft suggests in Windows 10.
For functionality, Chrome is by far the best, but it comes to a (privacy) price.
Some people use Opera which seems to be a very good browser, but the support from the community is minimal compared to the other 3 mainstream browsers mentioned above.

Reply | Quote

More info here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee126127%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

Reply | Quote