Microsoft continuing to refuse to give an opt-out is more than enough reason to avoid windows 10 altogether and stay on windows 7 or switch to Linux.

There's something extremely fishy about any company that would go completely against the requests of their customers and continue to refuse to allow the user to turn off data collection, you just can't trust them, especially a company such as Microsoft who has a long history of dishonest behavior.

Linux Code of Conduct.

These types of articles amuse me. Either I can spend time implementing all the changes to settings that they present (and then expect some of the changes to be silently undone next time Windows updates itself), or I can just continue on using Linux. Windows 10 was the point that I began refusing to fix Windows computers for people. It's not my job, and I'm not spending my free time supporting a company as disreputable as Microsoft.

Features such as unique advertising IDs and browsing history collection have NO business being built into computers. When I was a kid, we called software that did these types of things "malware". But the best the Microsoft fans can do, is say that this sort of behavior is now okay, because "everyone else does it!". Except, this is not true, because the machine I am using does neither of those things.

Well said, I also have none of the advertising or the massive amounts of data being funneled out the back door to the os maker while using Linux.

Ubuntu has a very clear and easy to understand opt-out for data collection during initial install, that's the most I've seen when it comes to data collection on Linux, I've ran software and hardware firewall tests and there's never been even a trickle of data leaving Linux unless I specifically allowed it.

No data funneled out the back door? What browser do you use?

I mix between brave and slimjet.

Well, this statement above wouldn't pass the Linux Code of Conduct.

Canonical began to collect search terms and then present people with ads from Amazon based on them, but the community put pressure on them and they stopped. At this point I would be more worried about Firefox crossing the line. For one thing, there was the silent Mr. Robot extension install, for another, they are running an "experiment" with something called "Cliqz" that allegedly collects browsing data of people in Germany.

"experiment" = "seeing if we can get away with it"

Anyway, if they were truly committed to privacy, they wouldn't run such experiments in the first place.

Mozilla has killed Firefox dead and betrayed its users over and over. My advice is to stick with the last ESR release until none of the addons work any more, then switch to Pale Moon.

"and then expect some of the changes to be silently undone next time Windows updates itself"

Not true - if using a free MS account, the settings stick. Minus the new screens that walk you through what privacy setting you want (like full or basic) - so yes, those could change if you don't read and click your preferences.

Hmm privacy and Windows 10 cannot simply go in one sentence dude!

Can someone write this article for Google products and services since they are the largest and most consistant at collecting private data, chainging settings, updateing without consent, etc.

You can also use tool like O&O ShutUp10. It has all the options to control all these toggles from one menu.

Anti-Beacon also was helpful. But now they just release version 3 and now you have to buy a license to get the full protection, without a license you get 2/3 of the protection. I haven't had the chance yet to look in detail what you don't get with the free version. So for now, I continue to install version 2.1 which luckily I had kept a copy.

"Ever since Microsoft introduced Windows 10, which allowed users more insight and control over their privacy,"

What a lovely, disinformational way to begin... it should read "which allowed Microsft unprecedented control over individual's hardware, and reminded of an Orwell novel".

Great work Bill, Good to read your article.
Very helpful to make control of privacy in windows 10.
Thanks

Also turn off Timeline (even thought it's pretty cool).
Also visit the Microsoft’s Privacy Dashboard - lets you track and delete a lot of info MS gathers about you. https(://)account.microsoft.com/privacy

And when using Microsoft Edge (as if privacy is key, don't use Chrome) use inPrivate mode.

Better than that use a browser that is built for privacy like Brave. Or you can use the Tor Browser. Tor has the added avantage that you can use the onion version of website that have it.

Agree, if privacy is truly key, there are are a few options. Personally though, I feel the other options (minus the top players) don't have the resources to keep up with all the security out there. Takes a lot of time and money. VPN can help too.

What relevance is market share when deciding which browser to use?

...or not.

Your OK man. It's good to have conversations That is how I pick up new ideas (even if it takes time to ...agree :)

When I buy a car or a home appliance, I don't look at market share when choosing the brand. When I buy a computer, I don't look at market share when choosing the brand. Market share is irrelevant.

So, why do you claim that market share is relevant when choosing a browser?

Based on your argument, I should avoid buying a Macbook because it's not very popular with its low market share.

Personally, I don't care how popular a product is when choosing what to buy.

Sorry, thought the article was about privacy not browser market share.

Your right, I posted a tip about privacy in Windows 10 which ships with Edge. Also put the tip if privacy is important not use Chrome, but than again, you are right, everyone at this site already knows Chrome (Google) is the company to avoid if privacy is important.

You seem to be suggesting privacy isn't all that important but articles similar to this one regarding privacy are seen almost daily on most of the tech sites.

Why is that?

Clickbait. And you always seem to take it.

I think the majority of people talk a big game about privacy - yet their actions tell a different story. Not only PC/online stuff, in general. Privacy have almost zero value to most (once again, they say it is, but their actions so they don't really care). But on that, my tip above was more privacy.

Android is popular as it's free to manufactures, and devices can be made cheap, which is needed for 80% of the world to buy. Not to mention Asia loving anything they can download apps and not pay for. Chrome did earn their spot, it's just a shame Google is starting to act/behave as MS did in the 89's-90's IMO.

If everyone thought that way we would all still be using IE6, derp derp.

You can't blame Google's drive-by downloads and lock in proprietary nonsense on MS.

According to StatCounter, Chrome overtook Internet Explorer in 2012, long before the release of Windows 10 and Edge. In fact, IE’s market share had been steadily declining for years while Chrome’s had been steadily increasing.

Chrome’s takeover had little to do with Edge’s release and everything to do with Google’s steady development cadence of Chrome and release of popular online services that integrate ever so well with Chrome. Google simply built a way better browser.

Yeah, simpler times, Google was still cool and they had a killer fast JavaScript engine that absolutely chewed through web pages.

We didn’t worry about security and privacy so much back then. Truth be told, the unwashed masses still don’t care, which is why services that egregiously abuse user pivacy are still among the most popular out there.

They did - and while Chrome is my default, I would rather use Edge over IE.