What do you think of WP8.1/Cortana Privacy Policy?

[John20212]

Just curious who actually read the privacy statement [especially the Cortana stuff] and what are your thoughts on it.

Do you think its fine or is it more on the creepy side by sending all that info to MS servers instead of handling it on local storage and only sending quarries to specific online services? Or you just don't care about this stuff?

 

[tgp]

I trust Microsoft with my data. But then, that's not saying much since I trust Google too! :amaze: I never read ToS or privacy statements or anything like that. I'd accept anyway, so why waste the time?

 

[Guytronic]

I read the whole thing.

Scared me a little when reading this:
"Your agreement with these provisions allows Microsoft to record any interactions by speech with the Cortana personal assistant"

 

[Games Goblin]

Just curious who actually read the privacy statement [especially the Cortana stuff] and what are your thoughts on it.

Do you think its fine or is it more on the creepy side by sending all that info to MS servers instead of handling it on local storage and only sending quarries to specific online services? Or you just don't care about this stuff?

Sending the voice data to Microsoft servers would help to improve Cortana's voice detection. Cortana is new to the world unlike Google Now and Siri, so the data would help Cortana to understand different accents and so on.

Posted via the WPC App for Android!

 

[John20212]

Sending the voice data to Microsoft servers would help to improve Cortana's voice detection. Cortana is new to the world unlike Google Now and Siri, so the data would help Cortana to understand different accents and so on.

I completely get that, BUT it should be optional to participate in the improvement program and NOT mandatory in order to use Cortana.
It is a common practice to make such things optional in nearly every software, so the mandatory nature of this in Cortana is a bit .... troubling.

 

[Noahma]

I completely get that, BUT it should be optional to participate in the improvement program and NOT mandatory in order to use Cortana.
It is a common practice to make such things optional in nearly every software, so the mandatory nature of this in Cortana is a bit .... troubling.

cortana uses Servers to crunch The Numbers In a reasonable amount of time. Most of her Programing is on severs. Our phones are not powerful enough to host all of her. Thus The need to send the info for analysis. By being able to choose not to send info, would essentially be like turning almost completely off with say a few exceptions. Nothing nefarious here, just off loading data to equipment more able to handle it.

 

[John20212]

I trust Microsoft with my data. But then, that's not saying much since I trust Google too! :amaze: I never read ToS or privacy statements or anything like that. I'd accept anyway, so why waste the time?

Yeah, I get that, if you really want to use the features you don't have much of a choice but to accept.
The issue is people should think a bit more about how their data is used and who potentially can have access to it, so they are not surprised later when they find out; or when their personal data is used against them in some way.

 

[a5cent]

People often completely miss this point: What is collected isn't really important. What is important is what happens after the data is collected!

Is it still your data, or is it the service providers? Do you have any rights, or are you sacrificing all your rights in exchange for free software? Do you have control over the data that is being stored about you, and is what you delete really gone? Is the provider allowed to do whatever they want with your data, or do they limit the ways in which they can profit off it?

Those are far more important questions, because collecting data is in most cases simply unavoidable. If you have a MS or Google account, they are collecting your e-mails. They must, because you'd never get an e-mail if they wouldn't. They must also collect questions directed at Cortana in order to improve her. That too is a technical necessity if Cortana wants to be competitive. If you don't like the idea of data being collected, then you need to stop using all cloud/internet based technology. There are no differences there, or at least none that are relevant. How the provider can use that data... that is where the real differences lie, and that is what is worth focusing on.

When you're reading the ToS... think: "what are my rights", not "what are they collecting".

 

[John20212]

Re: a5cent

Those are some excellent points.
The problem is, from reading the Privacy Policy, you get a lot of info about what is collected, but apart from 'providing and improving our services' there is not much stated about how all that data is going to be used, and it does not tell you what rights you have in respect of the data held by MS; or not even whether the data becomes MS property or whether it's held on your behalf. In the US the problem is when a third party holds your data or files in a cloud service, you are loosing certain constitutional protections in regards to warrant searches and being notified when some third party wants access to your data.
This is an area I think companies like MS that are committed to user privacy should address and inform interested users about the specifics when it comes to private data handling, and not write the whole process off through a standardized privacy policy.

 

[Tepid]

I would never say I trust any company completely
You go down that road and you will lose.

However, knowing where MS came from, the crap they have dealt with around the world, they have been around a really long time.
I trust MS more than I trust Apple or Google.

So, yes, I use Cortana.

But the real focus should be......
http://forums.windowscentral.com/wi...es-why-does-x-app-use-location-media-etc.html
Vetting the apps we install as best we can.
Such as, I won't install an app that wants every requirement there is. Sorry, that's either lazy coding, or they are using every requirement.
Many apps like that just are not worth the space on my phone and I don't need them that badly.
but why would, for example, a flashlight app with no ad's need access to directional and movement data or phone dialer or data services,
especially if there is no compass or anything else of that nature in it?

I have seen apps that want everything and there is no apparent reason to needing it.

Dev's need to be more diligent in what they require, explain why they require it, and remove what is not required.

Do I trust some No Name Dev or MS? uhhhh, that should be very obvious.

 

[13Elves]

"What are my rights" and "what are the collecting" are identical questions. If that has to parsed then you are ignorant of the entire political existence of humanity.

As a coder and hobbyist, non-malicious hacker, I can assure you that your data doesn't remain with Google, Microsoft or any of the big companies but is sold and resold to any who can afford and in the case of Android whoever can code script and upload your entire address book, pics, contacts, etc.

It is also naive to think natsec isnt involved directly as they invest thru their private arms many of the 3rd party companies buying the data.

Basically this issue depends on who u r and how u were raised: if ur some white guy sitting in the suburbs whose nvr experienced the boot on the neck then having ur location, voice, browsing and now offline shopping history all collated, packaged and stored somewhere is no big deal.