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Microsoft Device Privacy
#1
For the last 20 years big organizations, one of them - Microsoft, have been dealing with data.

It's not surprising that they're processing large amounts of data, but they seem to have deliberately collecting all data possible and making a product out of it.

Today most of the devices ping home as soon as you turn on your device. Same as phones, each time you unlock your phone, it sends a tiny amount of data to the manufacturer to update the state of your device.

It would be fine to keep track of general product use, but with regular updates to T&Cs, you will find that as more data is collected that has nothing to do with products, but to just get the usage habits that are processed and very likely sold to those who are looking for that data. It's often said that it's for advertising, but it's way more than that. 

All the datacenters are not there to be a product, they're processing to make data products. Such recent example is earthquake warning by Android phones that use accelerometers and detect the anomaly across thousands devices to inform others within certain area where the earthquake may reach.

Another recent example is Microsoft providing it's user's details to locate and apprehend a hacker based on his PC usage https://www.pcmag.com/news/a-hackers-arr...ows-device

Such data best works when collected from everyone rather than by individual agreement. To truely make your Windows PC private, it involves disabling telemetry in the registry which doesn't have any other options through control panel, as well as using firewall to prevent data from going out by blocking IPs of the services. 

Did you know that your Windows PC sends data to LinkedIn without you even going to the website or having the application installed on your PC? If you would have an option, would you disable it?

The mantra of "you shouldn't have something to hide" was heard by everyone, but when the usage and distribution of data is not consensual, who knows how it will affect you. Policies and laws constantly change and you will never know what your data can be used for until it's too late. Organizations hide these facts behind hundreds of pages of legal documents that say they may share the data, and if you disagree, just don't install it and don't use it.

There should be a law in place for "Essential" technology to provide barebones services without unnecessary data scraping and processing, because "having no choice" shouldn't be the only choice.

Likely there're alternatives. Due to Microsoft's heavy leaning towards undermining their consumers with "Recall" and "Copilot", Linux world is speeding up in development due to high demand for those that understand the importance of proactive privacy measures that doesn't make online curiosity a crime. You may come across content which is illegal to host/distribute, or a movie and you will be at mercy of AI or upcoming technocrats to determine what your punishments are, and they will device what is considered harmful to their moneymaking. 

Technology is splitting power and morals into two. Those with AI will likely trip on power and influence once they have everything in line - policy makers, datacenters, decision makers. In a way it's a race, it's not a question of if, but when. And as we know billionaires, they need more money and power to show better returns for their backers and keep monopoly expanding.

Having organizations be in charge of humanity that gives nothing in return, pretty much treats humanity as lab rats, to experiment on with medicine, send to conflicts, fight each other while being reminded of scarcity and bad economy. Economy is bad because of excessive profiteering on everything. At the same time seizing their profits for the sake of communism is also not the answer. The best course would be to make better living for people, but then with comfort the population will expand and that's another threat to them. So why help everyday people at the end of the day?

It's a full circle that shows that either power and financial gain needs to be limited in smart ways or people to be treated like animals. Unfortunately it's a chain of power that is bought out and with disagreement, the link can just be replaced to go along with the agenda. We're at a cul-de-sac of power and freedom which is not easy to go back from or fix.
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#2
Talking about effects of privacy, in Russia where most forms of comminication was restricted e.g. Telegram, citizens are starting to receive fines for not imprementing social groups or negatively commenting about their government. It shows that by registering with government owned media, instead of selling your data, you will receive fines for "misbehaviour".

Implementing such measures on own citizens restricts their freedom of speech. By giving people little choice and punishing to prevent future criticizm it reminds of Stalin who executed and influenced "early departure" of 20 million people to eliminate rivals.

It's understandable that they want control over what people say and think, but such exercise of power may lead to false accusations and cost just like with any law enforcement.

Ideally they would let people vent their frustrations, maybe moderate the comments to remove them and make a point that it's a no-no. But adding fines to everyday person doesn't solve anything, it only prolongs their suffering that will be reflected on the punisher throughout the years that it's their doing.

A moment of thought, shouldn't become years of suffering.

Take note authoritarians.
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