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Reasons to avoid Microsoft and switch to other alternatives.
djnexus
Member Posts: 677
I just wanted to make a post and share with people the increasing reason why our privacy isnt being respected on the internet by companies and government. We increasingly live in a surveliance society were everything is tracked even down to the sites we visit by our ISP and to what calls we make and the locations we are in by our cell phone provider. Some would even argue we have no real true privacy while on the internet. And I wont even start by going into Facebook. When it comes to Microsoft I wanted to share some links with everyone about what ive found clear upto Windows 8 when it comes to privacy. Other options like Linux, BSD, and Mac OS are better even for just the ways of freedom and privacy.
Something to think about when it comes to the NSA (National Security Agency) Next year 2013 the NSA plans on having a new data center opened out west in the U.S that will keep track of TONS of data on normal citizens everything from emails, to phone calls. Why all the surveliance? you can look this up on the net yourself btw. Say hello to big brother.
Windows 8 tells Microsoft about everything you install:
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-tells-microsoft-about-everything-you-install
Microsoft denies Windows 8 Smartscreen spying:
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-denies-windows-8-smartscreen-spying
Microsoft denies Windows 7 has NSA Backdoor
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-windows-7-nsa-backdoor,9130.html
How NSA Access was built into Windows
http://www.heise.de/tp/artikel/5/5263/1.html
Comments
They have being doing that since the 1980s... They're probably just running out of land to store servers on to store all that data
If you think switching to another OS is going to stop companies and governments from tracking you you're dreaming. The only way you can stop that in today's world would be to cut all ties to the Internet including using bank cards, any store that collects customer data(All of them) and any form of telecommunications. In other words go live on an island somewhere with only a couple of Palm Trees to keep you company.
Bren
while(horse==dead)
{
beat();
}
There has been an on going reoccurance with this. Privacy is not a huge factor as long as you are not doing anything wrong or illegal with the tools you have available. I do not have anything to fear about privacy when it comes to using my Operating System, Facebook, etc. The only thing you need to do is ALWAYS protect yourself and what you are being involved in.
When doing business, always research the company! Before making any type of purchase, look it over. When you are browsing the net, verify the link or domain is a legit url, not just a fake or scam.
There is a million ways to protect yourself. However, trying to stay FREE OF DATA against Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc.. is impossible. They have your data, and they will continue to have it. The biggest of all you should consider is your ISP provider that sells your data for profits.
Keep your eyes open. Use WOT Plugin to make sure you are on legit sites (for the most part) and always research.
In addition, when signing up for sites you are not sure about (almost 99% of the time... this should be true) use a different email address. If something happens to the site, your email is leaked, it's not your PERSONAL email, it is your BACKUP/ALTERNATIVE email.
Stay strong and protect yourself ahead of time.
Linux and BSD sure, but Mac? I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the ignorance. Newsflash buddy, Apple's recent business practices have been making the folks over at Microsoft look like saints.
In any event, avoiding data monitoring entirely is impossible. You can limit the scope, but simply not using computers online at all is the only truly effective precaution.
Regardless, the average user has absolutely nothing to worry about anyways. Even casual data mining provides far too much information for an organization to effectively monitor for any but the most obvious of criminal activities, or general statistical trends. Your secret obsession with toaster related porn is safe.
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Hemingway
"Because I did nothing wrong, I have nothing to worry about."
That's not how freedom works.
Now with 57.3% more flames!
"Because I did nothing wrong, I have nothing to worry about."
That's not how freedom works.
^ I concur. Some examples might be recent stories of U.S. military officers being denied promotion if they don't belong to the correct (read Christian) organizations. Or think about yourself not getting a job because your prospective employer might see something in your health records he doesn't like.
Personal privacy has been eroding for years now, though, and I think that sadly we've probably gone beyond the point of no return. Too many powerful interests have a stake in wanting to know everything possible about you.
In today's Internet connected 24/7 world freedom is an illusion. You may think you have anonymity but that is an illusion as well. Everything from your ISP on out onto the broader web is tracking everything you do. If you use Google (and who doesn't these days) they are tracking you as well. No matter how secure you think you are keeping your personal data safe it's just an illusion of security. Any agency from the government to big corporations can have your whole life history with a few clicks. Personal privacy is a thing of the past and you either have to come to terms with that or there is that island I mentioned in my first post...
Bren
while(horse==dead)
{
beat();
}