A simple question: "How does Microsoft Handles the individual user information?" Collects info from what we type in the Outlook.com. Collects info from what we type in bing searches. Collects info from what we type in our local searches. Collects info from the names of our files. Collects info from voice in cortana when is enabled. Collects info on what we do on our systems (what programs are installed, frequency of their use,etc.) What does it do all that info. Is it ever purged/deleted? Can the user manually delete it (at least some of it)? Is it used to profile each and every individual in the course of their life? One example: if you use Outlook.com it logs and remembers each and every search that you ever used (search email and persons). There is no option to disable it and no option to clear it. It seems that the only option to clear it is to remove your microsoft account. And some users are asking for the ability to clear that search history from 2013!!! https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...m/79ae5729-62ae-4f16-af98-73a48d53bd65?page=1 Panagiotis
I doubt that we will ever get detailed info on how they handle collected data. I think that they are following practice from other companies and are just hoarding user data as much as possible. Deleting data? Even if it was possible it would still be stored in all backups so you can forget about it ever being completely deleted. As long as laws about collecting and managing user data are so loose, and fines for lost or misused data are so low, things won't get much better.
Even you know what is collected, where it goes and how they are used, you don't have any power to influence the thing and even a worldwide lawsuit won't work because then you have to sue all the websites/OS/apps/softwares collecting datas (if you can proove it). which is almost impossible and would take centuries. As @Minimalist mentioned, until the laws are in favor of the users , nothing will happen, and since lobbies influences lawmakers, you know already the results.
The problem is not so much about collecting data. The problem is that the collected data is linked to the individual. It is not a random id, it is linked to a real Name, phone number, adress, etc. Heck, in a few years microsoft will know more for each individual, than the individuals know for themselves!!! Panagiotis
Indeed, honestly i think governments agencies are supporting it from behind, easy way for them to get more datas.
I don't like conspiracy theories, but I agree. For making an example, in Greece there seems it started a trend to control everything. e.g. - With the opportunity of the capital controls the goverment wants/forces the people to use more and more (if possible use exclusively ) credit/debit cards instead. The goverment has linked all the bank accounts from all the banks in their "fight" against tax evasion... So if an individual uses only his card/s they will know what he buys/pays, where he buys it, from whom he buys it, what time he buys it and so on... And all the new cards have wireless chips for "our" commodity.... - In the next month they will introduce a personal "e-ticket" that will be used for all transportation at least in Attica and probably will expand it later on in national level. So they will know when and where one added value on his/hers ticket, when entered and where on a vehicle, when and where he left the vehicle and so on. And it will be wireless... - And in 1-2 years they want to introduce a new identity card that will combine all the personal info of an individual (e.g health care number, id number, tax number, etc.).... and are considering to add also a wireless chip... and all that will be for our own good! Panagiotis
The operative phrase is "linked or linkable". The nature of today's technologies and business practices are such that almost everything should be viewed as linkable to real name, etc. Unless/until you have personally substantiated, through an appropriately rigorous analysis, that something isn't linkable (both now *and* in the future). Note: The linkability problem is largely due to the widespread use of various unique identifiers *including* those random IDs. Given that you can't reliably know and control what happens to information that has been collected, your only sound option is to avoid the collection of data. Which makes THAT the real problem... avoiding collection/exposures. Having said that, it is at least conceptually possible for a perfectly benevolent and expert party to collect information in ways that prevent linkability. While that would eliminate the direct, individual-specific privacy issue, it doesn't eliminate the group/society level privacy issues and the indirect consequences for individuals. IOW, even truly anonymous data collection/analysis systems (if they ever do exist) do not eliminate all privacy issues.
It is always interesting to read the comments associated with articles on this subject. One I recently came across was very similar to the subject of this thread. There was one comment that caught my attention as it was a different take to many of the others. The person believed that these repositories of people's real interests/needs/problems/fears/activities, etc., are difficult to capture in surveys and polls. Current sampling methods are not reaching all segments and the degree of error is greater than originally thought. Data collected continuously and on a massive scale will signal behavioral shifts and what caused the shift. The commenter went on to say that AI is the end game. This data could be used by AI to assist decision makers. The analyzed data would include recommendations, say for businesses and/or governments much faster and with greater accuracy. The underlying concern is that it is Orwellian, re: 1984. Microsoft has announced that they are very interested in AI and that they are already heavily invested in it. With the data that they have already stored, they have a treasure trove to not only use right now, but going forward as well. This maybe the real meaning of Windows as a Service. They will be analyzing their datasets and selling reports (not the data itself). That is their response to the Privacy question. Decision makers want recommendations, data points that represent what's real. They see AI as that solution. The media has focused on robots eating up jobs and pretty much ignored the data collection and how it is going to be used and for what purpose.
Is it just/only Microsoft? What about Google, Apple, Amazon etc. ? When it comes to Privacy, individuals have been constantly losing control. Gradually, A.I. will take over everything.
My post although privacy related was not so much privacy oriented. When we sign for microsoft, google, apple, amazon, etc. services we know that data is collected. But apple and google give the option to clear/reset our search history. (even though it is probably backed pu in their logs) eg. A person in 2015 wanted to buy a car so lots of his searches were car rellated so the advertisments will be about cars. Now he bought a car and is not interested in that anymore. The ads will continue to be car related? or One was in a rellationship with a woman, so her name/nickname was his most frequent search in phone,mail etc. Now he broke up badly and don't won't to see that name/nickname again.Is there a way to delete it from the search history or Microsoft services will be a constant reminder of that rellationship? or A man/woman had lots of boyfriends/girlfriends in the past. Does he/she has the ability to clear the searched from her personal history, or his wife/her husband (in case he/she forgets to log out or volonturally gives access) will see the past searches when they type the first lleter? Microsoft gives the users the ability to control a portion of the data already collected or is a cruel reminder of every stupid online action the person did? Panagiotis
This statement mirrors the general publics salve, pacifier & delusion. In parenthesis is the partial truth. Not only is it backed up it is currently in use.
just know one thing : once something is made public (i mean not only in your possession anymore) , it stays public forever.
Um....I don't think it started when it was created, but certainly around the change of the cencury. And some (like UK) have stalked you since 1998
Users of such services may be able to point out related settings/descriptions, and describe what behaviors they've observed. You could also do some research of your own. Looking at the privacy statements and available settings for each feature and/or service you think you might be exposed to. Perhaps do some testing too, in an attempt to feel out what the settings currently seem to do. Be careful about interpretations and conclusions though. As an example: I think most users who come across a "clear search history" feature would assume that it actually eliminates past search information from the provider's systems/databases/algorithms. IOW, they'd be inclined to view it as comprehensive. However, that assumption is likely to have some flaws. What may actually happen is that the search terms (along with IP Address, other unique identifiers, etc) hit the servers and that raw data flows into a base log/database. Plus, the search terms are placed into something called "search history". Plus, the search related data is analyzed to extract information for one or more other [pseudo] databases/profiles (targeted advertising profile being one example). When someone "clears search history" it might simply stop displaying what is still in "search history". Or it might delete the data in "search history" and not remove the base log/database entries or [pseudo] database/profile entries. Things like that. It might be helpful to think about the different types of data you expose to the cloud service, how the provider will [ab]use it, and where that [ab]use may be visible. Such as browsing subject, different types of searches (products/services, health, financial, ...), purchases, contacts, feedback, etc. For example, if you searched for a stock symbol it might show up in search history and also a default list on a financial page. If you bought a product it might show up in recent purchases and also be reflected in advertising. So you may be able to spot or smell some cases where what you think you are controlling isn't under your control. However, without a detailed understanding of the software/systems/practices you are likely to miss some important aspects.
