Microsoft Ignores Windows 10 User Privacy Settings and Tracks User Data
Last updated September 21, 2021
- Users are reporting instances of Windows ignoring user privacy settings and uploading data to Microsoft.
- Activity History under Settings stays enabled and logs user activity even when the feature is disabled.
- Microsoft has not offered its input on the situation yet and is yet to rectify the issue.
If you are a Windows 10 user, then you might be surprised to know that Microsoft is logging your activity history even if you specifically disable tracking according to Softpedia. The issue was first reported on Reddit where a user said that he turned off Activity History under Settings on Windows 10 but it did not change anything at all.
Soon after the issue was reported, others tried to test how Microsoft’s activity tracking works and confirmed suspicious. Activity History settings are linked to the new Timeline feature on Windows 10. Timeline offers users the ability to save snapshots of their activity which includes browser tabs, apps, documents and they can be restored anytime within a 30-day period. Microsoft continues to track user activity even after disabling the setting to keep the Timeline feature functional.
To completely disable Activity History on Windows 10, users need to head to their privacy settings under the Settings menu and click on “Activity History.” There are three different options for users who want to use the feature. You can either store activity history only on your device, upload your data to Microsoft or log data from specific user accounts only. Even if all three options are disabled, it continues to collect data.
You can see if your data is being logged and sent to Microsoft by heading to the Privacy Dashboard on its website. The page allows you to see all of your data stored on the company’s servers and even after disabling your activity history settings you will see your data being uploaded. It is a serious privacy issue, and Microsoft is yet to address the issue, and it is unknown if it is intentional or caused by a bug.
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