You turned off the privacy sliders in Windows 11 because you don't want to share your data with Microsoft, and you must have thought that was the end of the matter. It turns out that Windows 11 is still gathering a lot of your data, even on a brand-new computer.
In a recent YouTube video by The PC Security Channel, Neowin reported on how the behaviour of a brand-new Windows 11 laptop and a brand-new Windows XP installation differed in terms of what data, if any, was being shared online.
The YouTubers were able to find out some intriguing but not unexpected details regarding the kind of telemetry that Windows 11 was sending by using the Wireshark network protocol analyzer. They discovered that Windows 11 was actively sending data to Microsoft and outside servers during boot-up, even before an internet connection was established. For instance, the data was sent to marketing and advertising networks as well as software servers (perhaps for upgrades, antivirus updates, checking for trial versions, etc.).
In stark contrast, the 20-year-old 64-bit version of Windows XP scarcely, if at all, produced a sound. To check for OS updates, Microsoft servers received the sole telemetry that was supplied.
The video shows how drastically background traffic has changed over time, going from almost no outgoing data to a flood of data relating to advertisements, MSN, Bing, and other things. Obviously, this volume of data relates to the expanded features and capabilities of contemporary operating systems. We depend on fast weather reports, news, and the most recent security fixes these days; it's just the way things are.
However, it's vital to remember that this laptop is brand-new. Think about that for a moment, the YouTuber said. The owner of this machine has not even attempted to use the internet, opened a web browser, or entered any information. Without the user's input, the system is acting in this way on its own.
As soon as you begin using the device, the collection expands. Software like ShutUp10 reveals the various metrics that Microsoft collects while using a Windows PC, including information about handwriting, typing, and advertising.
Nevertheless, you can thankfully manage and restrict the data that your computer transmits. The purpose of services and programmes like Privatezilla and W10Privacy, which let you choose which undesired functionality should be disabled, is to harden your PC.
