In fact, Windows has been criticized for its ‘always listening’ technology which can be turned on or off through your Windows search bar (activated with the Windows button). In other words, Windows users are now broadcasting their every move online as well as exposing themselves to a risk of hacking and identity theft, all because Windows doesn’t have the good sense to keep Cortana from being activated by people around you. It also means that any search queries you do through Windows will go straight back to Microsoft as well as whatever company provides the website you’re visiting. While this may not sound like such a big deal at first glance, talking to your device within earshot of other people isn’t exactly polite. Windows users have two options to activate Cortana: they can either type in their query using Windows Search, or talk out loud asking for information from directly within their web browser (called ‘Cortana In-Browser’). Cortana is Microsoft’s version of Siri or Google Assistant, and can be activated with the click of a button on your PC. ![]() Windows 11 privacy concerns are also exacerbated by Windows’ voice assistant Cortana. ![]() This means that Microsoft is collecting information about Windows users via their browsing habits and this could include sensitive personal details such as medical conditions etc… All of these details could then be passed directly to advertisers who can use them in any way they see fit. Windows even goes as far as making you log into your Windows account on startup, rather than allowing for an offline mode where no data has to be sent back home automatically.Īlthough you can still install Windows 11 with an offline account, by using workarounds, the process is deliberately difficult and users will experience multiple nudges to move to an online account during the process.įurther, Windows 11 uses Bing search by default which sends off thousands of queries every day without asking users’ permission first. Windows 11 essentially requires a Windows account that the operating system is linked to. Even if you disable some of the built-in tracking technology by changing your settings, there are still plenty more ways that Windows can track you without your permission or knowledge. It seems that Microsoft is keen to collect as much information as possible and they are not afraid to be bold and open about it. This ensures that your identity data is readily linked with data that gets sucked into the cloud. In fact, the trend has been ramped up with Windows 11 as Microsoft push to encourage users to make use of an online account, rather than an offline account. We do know that Windows 11 is collecting a lot more data than its predecessor and Microsoft have been heavily criticized for the massive data collection tactics of Windows 10. Yet it is often difficult to pin down what data is being uplifted into Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem and exactly what they are doing with this information about you. In recent years, users have become increasingly aware of how important privacy is and are starting to question what data is being collected from their devices without their knowledge. ![]() The absence of privacy assurance in Windows 11 gives Apple a major differentiation in their product that could become crucial in time to come. This is in stark contrast to Apple’s marketing where they have chosen to make privacy a key part of their message. Windows is often seen as the most popular desktop operating system in the world, but does Windows 11 have any privacy concerns? Let’s take a look.įor starters, the word ‘Privacy’ is noticeably missing from Microsoft’s marketing material for Windows 11. Windows 11 has been out for a few weeks now and many Windows 10 users are finally upgrading.
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