Windows 10 to Get Better Privacy Controls in Creators Update

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Ever since Windows 10 was released in 2015, experts have complained that it sends far too much data back to Microsoft. In August, the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote a detailed editorial claiming that the operating system sends an "unprecedented" amount of personal information to Microsoft in a way that "has trampled on essential aspects of modern computing." In the upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft will make its data-collection and privacy policies simpler, according to a blog post from Windows and devices head Terry Myerson.

First, Microsoft is launching a new online privacy dashboard where you can see what the company is collecting from y ou. That's live now, and you can sign in here to view and delete data including your browsing history, location and Cortana preferences. Myerson wrote that more data categories will be available to view in the future.

When the Creators Update launches, there will be just two data collection levels: Basic and Full. Those who had selected the mid-tier level, Enhanced, will have to make a new choice for the update. Microsoft says that there is less data collected than ever at the basic level, which includes installed apps, basic error reporting, and whether Windows is running correctly.

MORE: How to Use Windows 10

Microsoft has released screenshots of the new privacy options, and they certainly do a look a lot easier to understand than what currently exists. We'll be able to tell you a lot more about the Creators Update, including privacy options, when it launches in April.

Windows 10 Security and Networking

Andrew E. Freedman