Windows 10 shipped listening, on the honor system
Windows 10 launched with telemetry, an ad ID and personalization on by default
The market's verdict: +4.9% on MSFT in the week after.
What actually happened
Windows 10 shipped on July 29, 2015 with Express Setup switched on by default, which enabled diagnostic telemetry, an advertising ID for personalizing apps, SmartScreen URL checks and tailored tips, while the real privacy settings lived several menus deeper. Regulators took notes: EPIC filed an FTC complaint over the data collection in January 2016, and France's CNIL ordered changes that July. Microsoft's position was that the defaults were a convenience, delivered at scale, automatically. The upgrade was free; the terms came with telemetry.
This one is officially acknowledged.
Links
↳ caused by Windows 10 launch (July 2015)
Timeline
- Jul 29, 2015 Stood by it Microsoft stood by it.