Windows 10 is again in the spotlight for privacy

Almost all current software collects some user data while it works. Some simply take the necessary statistics to improve the application or service. Google and Microsoft provide dashboards so that users can view and control the data they collect, a way to try to avoid bad thoughts about their products. Unfortunately, Microsoft's version for Windows 10 isn't doing exactly what it says it is doing.

Windows 10 again in the spotlight for privacy

Windows 10 started his life pretty badly, as users feared he would send information to Microsoft behind his back, even when they told him not to. The operating system has a "Activity History" function that allows the user to resume the activities where they left off, by storing the browsing history or the applications and services they use. The user can store this data locally on the device or give it to Microsoft, so that their activity history can be saved and restored when they change devices.

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Unfortunately, turning off this feature still sends data to Microsoft. Users discovered this by examining the privacy panel associated with the Microsoft account on the PC in question. It was discovered on a browser page that shows the apps you've used, even when you disable the aforementioned feature.

Fortunately, you are not sending exactly that activity history, but you are sending a different type of activity history. Windows 10 has a separate diagnostic setup that, when selected complete, will send your application's browsing and usage history to help Microsoft improve Windows and its services.

Confused? That is exactly the problem. While Microsoft has provided a privacy dashboard for transparency reasons, it has not been clear exactly what data is sent from where. What's worse, having two different settings in two different places increases confusion and suspicion that Microsoft isn't really taking privacy that seriously after all.