Windows 7 and 8.1 also spying on it's users?

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Laughing at Microsoft MSFT +0.00%’s controversial data mining and privacy invasions within Windows 10? Well Windows 7 and Windows 8 users should laugh no longer as this most hated spying is now headed your way…

Software specialist site gHacks has discovered that Microsoft has pushed four new updates to both Windows 7 and Windows 8 which introduce new data collecting and user behaviour tracking features.

The four updates in question and the official Microsoft descriptions are:

• KB3068708 Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry – This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices. By applying this service, you can add benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights. (Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1)
• KB3022345 (replaced by KB3068708) Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry – This update introduces the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to in-market devices. By applying this service, you can add benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet been upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights. (Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1)
• KB3075249 Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 – This update adds telemetry points to the User Account Control (UAC) feature to collect information on elevations that come from low integrity levels. (Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1)
• KB3080149 Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry – This package updates the Diagnostics and Telemetry tracking service to existing devices. This service provides benefits from the latest version of Windows to systems that have not yet upgraded. The update also supports applications that are subscribed to Visual Studio Application Insights. (Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1)

Source

At least with 7 and 8 you can uninstall it and hide the update. You just have to be aware of their existence. Which many, many users will not be.

 

[R-T-B]

I can't say I'm surprised. This is a philosophy change, it's not the reason they were "giving" Windows 10 away as many claimed.

Still bothersome... but I've ranted about that enough.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Ugh. Just realized i put an apostrophe in "its".

 

[rtwjunkie]

I figured that's what they were when i read them. They are optional updates, and looked like an excuse to spy, so i hid them.

 

[qubit]

Thanks for the heads up. Gonna uninstall them.

 

[EarthDog]

Thanks for the heads up. Gonna uninstall them.

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Now THAT was about the best post I have heard since I saw these threads at my home site and here... Good times.

Qubit, want to go halfsies on tin foil hats?

 

[TheMailMan78]

 

[silkstone]

When the government secretly collects data on you, its a big deal, but when a company collects data, that's no problem?

 

[AsRock]

This is why you should check what the updates are for, in case some thing is being installed that you do not agree with. Simple as clicking the update and clicking the link to it.

I found none of on my system, i did find on in optional which was the KB3080149 which is a 16.9MB download
.https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080149

 

[TheMailMan78]

When the government secretly collects data on you, its a big deal, but when a company collects data, that's no problem?

I stopped caring about a month ago. People want socialism. They want "free" stuff yet they don't want the government to spy on them to make sure people are not cheating the system.....they want their cake and eat it too. I don't care anymore. People are stupid and at this point as long as they don't come in my yard the world can burn.

Spy on me all you want at this point. There is nothing I can do to stop ya. Come in my yard and catch a bullet.

 

[Jborg]

I blame George bush. Whenever
Your mad. Just blame it on him.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

This is why you should check what the updates are for, in case some thing is being installed that you do not agree with. Simple as clicking the update and clicking the link to it.

I found none of on my system, i did find on in optional which was the KB3080149 which is a 16.9MB download
.https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3080149

It wont be as simple as that anymore as very soon (if they havent already) Microsoft is no longer going to explain what the updates to do your system.

 

[rtwjunkie]

It wont be as simple as that anymore as very soon (if they havent already) Microsoft is no longer going to explain what the updates to do your system.

On previous edition of Windows the link is still there, because updates aren't forced. I check each time updates are released.

 

[AsRock]

It wont be as simple as that anymore as very soon (if they havent already) Microsoft is no longer going to explain what the updates to do your system.

Well as i am not going be a Win10 user on any of our systems it's not going be a issue, well for at least until next year.

By that time maybe enough people would of complained and they will change it (HA).


And as seen there is only ARK going be on DX12 which offers 20% improvement it's not going be worth it as if your getting 20-30fps that's only a few fps extra so.

That game need such a performance boost makes me feel like it's never going happen. But if they can pull of what UBI did with FarCry 4 and make it look and play as well as that i be totally impressed but not holding my breath for it.

 

[Frick]

I stopped caring about a month ago. People want socialism. They want "free" stuff yet they don't want the government to spy on them to make sure people are not cheating the system.....they want their cake and eat it too. I don't care anymore. People are stupid and at this point as long as they don't come in my yard the world can burn.

Spy on me all you want at this point. There is nothing I can do to stop ya. Come in my yard and catch a bullet.

You're retarded and I love about 70% of the stuff coming out of your brain.

I never install updates automatically anyway and never bother with optional updates, but shall look out for them anyway. I wonder how they're pushed in different regions, in the past some updates marked "important" in the US was market only optional for me (schweden).

 

[HTC]

Source

At least with 7 and 8 you can uninstall it and hide the update. You just have to be aware of their existence. Which many, many users will not be.

Thanks for the heads up!

2 were already installed and one was pending: uninstalled the 2 and hid all 3 + windows 10 update, again (it un-hid itself ...).

 

[Blue-Knight]

Windows 7 and 8.1 also spying on it's users?

All versions.

 

[R-T-B]

I stopped caring about a month ago. People want socialism. They want "free" stuff yet they don't want the government to spy on them to make sure people are not cheating the system.....they want their cake and eat it too. I don't care anymore. People are stupid and at this point as long as they don't come in my yard the world can burn.

Spy on me all you want at this point. There is nothing I can do to stop ya. Come in my yard and catch a bullet.

You should still care. If you don't care, don't cry when the government comes into your yard with bigger guns because they don't like something you've been doing.

No we aren't there yet, but it's heading that way.

 

[TheMailMan78]

You should still care. If you don't care, don't cry when the government comes into your yard with bigger guns because they don't like something you've been doing.

No we aren't there yet, but it's heading that way.

If the government comes to my yard with guns to kill me, I doubt its because I installed a patch from Microsoft. But, if they do and I survive I'm so switching to Linux.

 

[cadaveca]

Its a riot!

You should still care. If you don't care, don't cry when the government comes into your yard with bigger guns because they don't like something you've been doing.

No we aren't there yet, but it's heading that way.

It's pretty easy to avoid doing anything that'd have the gov knocking on your door. The law books are a good basis for how you should behave... but maybe that's just me.

 

[MxPhenom 216]

You should still care. If you don't care, don't cry when the government comes into your yard with bigger guns because they don't like something you've been doing.

No we aren't there yet, but it's heading that way.

Dont do anything shadey/illegal and you shouldn't have problems. All I do it check facebook, forums, and play games on my system. Why should I care if they can see what I'm doing when I'm doing average Joe shit.

 

[R-T-B]

Dont do anything shadey/illegal and you shouldn't have problems.

Who decides what's shadey/illegal?

It's a problem of transfering too much control over your life to an institution that has historically been less than trustworthy with things such as civil rights.

I don't have anything interesting about me that they would want either. Doesn't change the point.

If the government comes to my yard with guns to kill me, I doubt its because I installed a patch from Microsoft. But, if they do and I survive I'm so switching to Linux.

Ok, they'll come with guns to take away your guns because you posted about your guns.

They'll also check me because I said "guns" 3 times or more.

See?

 

[TheMailMan78]

Dont do anything shadey/illegal and you shouldn't have problems. All I do it check facebook, forums, and play games on my system. Why should I care if they can see what I'm doing when I'm doing average Joe shit.

Listen these guys have a point......but it makes no difference. They are gonna get you if they want you. I choose to hide in plane sight........plus if I do something shady it wouldn't be on my computer or anything connected to the internet.

 

[R-T-B]

Listen these guys have a point......but it makes no difference. They are gonna get you if they want you. I choose to hide in plane sight........plus if I do something shady it wouldn't be on my computer or anything connected to the internet.

I agree that we have little chance at making a difference, and that anyone doing stuff the goverment hates online is not... bright. But, that does not mean you should not use freedom of speech and mark your opposition to these things, while we still have it.

That also means you shouldn't shoot down people who do decide to do so with cute internet memes. That's the greatest enemy we could have. You should praise them for trying to fight a fruitless war despite all odds, if anything.

 

[cadaveca]

That also means you shouldn't shoot down people who do decide to do so with cute internet memes. That's the greatest enemy we could have. You should praise them for trying to fight a fruitless war despite all odds, if anything.

Becoming a lobbyist and actually enacting change would be a far better use of that energy. Otherwise it's all just hot air. Myself, for an example... I don't own a cell phone. I refuse to carry a personal tracking device that nearly anyone that complains about this "loss of liberty" does, making them rather hypocritical.