Windows 10 is harvesting more of YOUR data than any other Microsoft operating system

Installed with News News Blog Settings, the new Microsoft OS keeps tabs on a staggering amount of data



MICROSOFT has admitted its new operating system is siphoning more data than any other Windows OS release before it. And there isn't always a way to STOP it.

Microsoft has admitted Windows 10 is harvesting more user data than any of its predecessors.

The news comes hours after the US firm revealed Windows 10 users are powerless to stop the operating system from tracking certain aspects of their computer usage.

Windows 10, which rolled out across the globe back in July, has already seen huge adoption.

But despite its early success, Microsoft is becoming increasingly aggressive with its automatic downloads to push users towards the new operating system.

The Redmond technology firm has also received criticism over the tracking and data collection baked into the OS.

But Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore has defended the collection of what the US firm refers to as "basic telemetry", explaining that it's necessary to improve Windows 10 in future updates.

This is nothing new, Microsoft has always recorded and analysed data from its customers. Every blue screen crash generates an error report which is sent to Microsoft, for example.

What is new in Windows 10 is the sheer scale of data collection happening behind the scenes.

For example, every search term you enter into Windows 10 is recorded and sent to the cloud for analysis. And that's not all.

Windows 10, which rolled out across the globe back in July, has already seen huge adoption

 

Microsoft relaxed its stance on tracking for Enterprise, but consumer versions have not changed

Installed with News News Blog Settings, Windows 10 Home can track and share the websites you visit, the searches you make, your purchases, calendar details, location, contacts and the voice commands you use with virtual assistant, Cortana.

Microsoft claims your personal information is seldom recorded and sent back to its servers and whenever it does, there is always an opt-out.

However the Redmond firm adds that in the "cases where we've not provided options, we feel that those things have to do with the health of the system, and are not personal information or are not related to privacy".

As a result, the "basic telemetry" tracking cannot be turned off in the consumer versions of Windows 10.

Microsoft did recently relax this stance for enterprise customers in a move to appeal to businesses to adopt the new unified Windows operating system.

Windows 10 Enterprise recently gained the ability to turn off telemetry tracking – although Microsoft strangle recommends you leave it on.

"We're going to continue to listen to what the broad public says about these decisions," Vice President Joe Belfiore told PC World.

"Ultimately our goal is to balance the right thing happening for the most people – really, for everyone – with complexity that comes with putting in a whole lot of control."

 



Microsoft Corporate VP Joe Belfiore admitted users are powerless to stop some data collection



He added: "And in the case of knowing that our system that we've created is crashing, or is having serious performance problems, we view that as so helpful to the ecosystem, and so not an issue of personal privacy, that today, we collect that data so that we make that experience better for everyone."

Windows 10 takes a lot of decisions out of the hands of its users in the name of convenience.

Whether or not the next-generation functionality included in new operating system is worth the trade-off, could ultimately decide whether or not you opt for the free upgrade.

Even if you can't disable all of the telemetry data in the consumer editions, Microsoft does allow you to control some of its data collection policies by navigating to Start > Settings > Privacy.

The latest news comes days after the US technology firm announced the final date PC manufacturers will be able to sell new computers running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

The date was almost a year earlier than anticipated, as Microsoft continues to push to meet its goal of one billion devices running Windows 10 within two years of its launch.

However Microsoft has had a number of key issues with Windows 10 since its release earlier this summer – something it wants to fix in the upcoming OS update, dubbed Threshold 2.

Users have reported frustratingly slow boot-up speeds, trouble with wifi connections, privacy concerns and issues with child safety features following the jump to Windows 10.

Windows 10 is currently a free operating system upgrade to customers running genuine versions of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

If you have managed to get your version of Windows 10 up and running smoothly – NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com has rounded up SEVEN top tips to master your new operating system.

And if you are feeling negative towards the new operating system, here are the WORST features Microsoft included in Windows 10.

 



Microsoft currently advertises the free upgrade for its new OS in a series of pop-up adverts