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from the sunshine-is-the-best-disinfectant dept.
So far this is only in Switzerland, but there is every reason to suppose it will come up in Germany and other countries. In Switzerland, on the request of the Pirate Party, the governmental data protection office is having a look at Windows 10 (article in German, Here is a Google translation).
If the office determines that Windows 10 violates Swiss privacy laws, they can recommend changes to Windows 10. If Microsoft were to refuse to make those changes, the office would have the option of banning Windows 10 within the country. As the article points out, a similar process forced Google to make substantial changes to StreetView, so it can be effective.
Personal opinion: Switzerland is too small by itself. However, if the Pirate Party in Germany, France and elsewhere could initiate similar actions, Europe as a whole could force real change. And, hey, it will show that the Pirate Party hasn't totally lost its way.
Original Submission
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 27 2015, @08:12AM
You would be a lot easier to take seriously if you actually listed the problems you have, rather than just saying "but Google", just like a certain MS ad.
For example, I have an Android tablet and no Google account (i.e. I didn't give them permission to track me). What does my Android track?
You can leave Chrome out of the list, as far as Chrome knows, I've only ever visited f-droid org, and downloaded the f-droid app - which I then used to install Firefox (the Fennec-fdroid version).
(Score: 2) by skullz on Thursday August 27 2015, @03:01PM
True but the majority of "ZOMG Microsoft is spying on me!!!1one" things can be disabled if you turn off settings and don't use a Microsoft account. You don't get Cortana, you don't get cross device contacts, WiFi passwords, preferences, etc. Location services are right out.