Technical Tidbits

Yesterdays Microsoft Partner e-mail grabbed my attention as soon as it appeared in my inbox. There it was. A gleam of hope sparkled in my eyes and soul.

Had Microsoft finally, “GOT IT?”

The description looked tantalizing. Anonymous browsing – not even Firefox could do that without the aid of a plug-in or extension! Accelerators teasingly resembled those Firefox additions that enhance the users browsing experience. Dare I hope? Was this finally a serious Microsoft contender to Firefox? I had to have it!

Rest easy Open Source junkies. The new Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 is a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing! And over the next several posts I’ll show you why!

The 15.9 MB file downloaded quickly but my hopes were soon dashed as the installation started. It was still the same old Microsoft! Still up to its old tricks trying to slip in it’s usual control by wanting me to combine all my updates along with their USELESS Malicious Software Removal Tool, thus rendering me under their total control. (Click the picture below to see a full view.)

Had I not stopped and read each screen carefully, I would have been surrendering my control of choosing which downloads to install.

They know we do that, you know. That’s why they keep trying to sneak in their software to allow their total control over your updates and downloads. They don’t want us to know what they are REALLY installing.

It didn’t take long for my hopes to continue their downward spiral into the Microsoft abyss of empty words, empty promises, and propaganda.

One of the next screens asked me if I’d like to turn on Suggested Sites. The screen states,

Do you want to discover websites you might like based on websites that you’ve visited?

(Click the picture above to see a full view.)

Hmmmm. How do you suppose they would know what websites I visited?

Oh yes! You guessed it! They will be so kind in helping suggest sites that they will keep a history of my web visits for me! Isn’t that nice of them?

First, I want you to notice that during this setup process all you see is their BS marketing descriptions of what these items are. You have no clue how this is going to affect your privacy and security. You would have to click their Privacy Statement link to view that.

So, let’s see what they say about that! The emphasis and footnote references have been added by me to help you follow along with the rest of my comments after reading this.

Suggested Sites is an online experience designed to show you which websites you visit most¹, and to provide you with suggestions of other websites you might be interested in visiting. When you turn on Suggested Sites, your web browsing history is sent to Microsoft, where it is saved ² and compared to a frequently updated list of websites that are similar to ones you visit often. You can choose to pause or stop this feature from sending your web browsing history to Microsoft at any time. You can also delete individual entries from your history at any time. Deleted entries will not be used to provide you suggestions for other websites, although they will be retained by Microsoft³ for a period of time to help improve our products and services, including this feature. Any websites you visit while InPrivate Browsing is active will not be sent to Microsoft.

When Suggested Sites is turned on, the addresses of websites you visit are sent to Microsoft, together with some standard information from your computer such as IP address, browser type, regional and language settings. To help protect your privacy, the information is encrypted⁴ when sent to Microsoft. Information associated with the web address, such as search terms or data you entered in forms might be included. For example, if you visited the Microsoft.com search website at http://search.microsoft.com and entered “Seattle” as the search term, the full address http://search.microsoft.com/results.aspx?q=Seattle&qsc0=0&FORM=QBMH1&mkt=en-US will be sent. Address strings might unintentionally contain personal information⁵, but this information is not used to identify, contact or target advertising to you.

Statistics about your usage of Suggested Sites will also be sent to Microsoft such as the time that websites were visited, which website referred you, and how you got there (e.g., by clicking a link or one of your Favorites)⁶. This information, along with the website addresses and past history, will be used to personalize your experience, as well as improve the quality of our products and services. Microsoft will not use any information collected to identify, contact or target advertising to you.

Footnote 1: Thanks Microsoft! I’m really a moron and I can’t seem to remember that myself! What kind of lame a** excuse is that for justifying your reasons for gathering information?

Footnote 2: Well the fact that Microsoft saves my information is a great disclosure. Thanks Microsoft for covering you assets there! But you know what? I’ve read the online privacy page and here’s my issue with you saving my information….

Information that is collected by or sent to Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, or agents maintain facilities. Microsoft may disclose this information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Microsoft or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Microsoft and its family of Web sites, or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft software or services, or members of the public. Microsoft occasionally hires other companies to provide limited services on its behalf, such as providing customer support, processing transactions, or performing statistical analysis of reports. Microsoft will provide those companies only the information they need to deliver the service. They are required to maintain the confidentiality of this information and are prohibited from using it for any other purpose.

For those of you who have been numb and dumb as companies continue to take away your personal rights and privacy, the United States Privacy Laws DO NOT APPLY outside this country! Once Microsoft transfers your data outside the US or to one of their “third party” companies, you’re no longer secure and your PERSONAL DATA is no longer protected!

And what is Microsoft going to do if the company does use the data? How are they even going to know? How are you going to know that the company got your name from Microsoft?

Footnote 3: Isn’t that wonderful that Microsoft tells us that we can pause, stop, or delete our browsing history participation but they are still going to store it for us. Maybe we might want it back some day? Ya think?

Oh, I’m bad! They say they are going to use it to enhance my browsing experience! Funny but Firefox enhances my browsing experience every day and I NEVER have to give away any information to them nor their third party add-ons! Imagine that!

Give me a break Microsoft! I see where you’re going with this and I’m going to share it with the world and anyone who will listen!

Footnote 4: How generous of you to send my information encrypted! Is that because YOU don’t want me seeing what you’re sending yourself? Like I trust you? Like you’ve given me reason to trust you? NOT!

Oh yes, you’re going to protect my privacy from anyone else (aside from you) who might want to CAPITALIZE on the spying data you’re gathering in. I get it!

But let’s assume for a brief, fleeting second, that Microsoft really does care. They really are concerned about your privacy. Well, that might be believable for that fleeting second until you read Footnote 5!

Footnote 5: How can you tell me in this age of precision programming that some identifying information MIGHT be sent?

I know programming Balmer! Either you are or you aren’t. Personally identifying information doesn’t accidentally get trapped inside a string of specific data. If it is, then your programmers need how to write better code!

This is a blatant cover you’re a** statement because you know da** well you’re gathering it!

Footnote 6: Is there anyone else out there besides me that remembers the huge fight against adware and scumware? The fight against the advertising and tracking cookies?

The fight was about how unscrupulous companies were using specially formed cookies or small programming code to track where you went. What page referred you to where you got next and what you did so that they targeted advertising based on where you visited. Do you remember that?

The only difference between then and now is that Microsoft is openly telling you they are scumware and banking on YOU NOT READING the privacy statement!

If I had a dime, a lousy dime for every single person I know who clicks through these installation screens without reading and investigating what Microsoft is peddling, I’d be a very RICH person!

And wait my friends, there’s more to this whole story and tomorrow, I’m going to show you even a bigger picture everyone is missing! This does get worse!

Tune in for part 2 tomorrow…….

written by Admin \\ tags: accelerators, addons, adware, extensions, firefox, ie, Internet Explorer, internet explorer 8, malicious software removal tool, Microsoft, plugins, privacy, scumware, Security, spyware