Microsoft has an in-depth response to Windows 10 privacy concerns

It’s not hard to get people riled up about Internet privacy. Privacy policies can seem long and technical, and it’s easier to listen to the digital shouts of the Twittersphere and the media. After Windows 10 was released this summer, people said the operating system was spying on users and collecting data for extraneous purposes. Now, Microsoft is attempting to put those prickly privacy issues to rest with articles addressing the data Windows 10 collects and why. In the company’s introductory blog post about the issue, Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group, makes it clear that the user is the most important factor when considering privacy. The company says the information falls into three levels: safety and reliability data, personalization data and advertising data. Safety and reliability data includes info that lets Microsoft make sure the experience is secure and reliable. This data includes an anonymous device ID, device type and application crash data. It doesn’t include any of your content or files, and Myerson says they take extra steps to avoid collecting information that directly identifies someone, such as a name, email address or account ID. The data taken, also known as telemetry, is what Windows uses to improve its service, such as when the server crashes and is impacting users.