Microsoft Dismisses Windows 8 Privacy Concerns

Company says new features don't constitute problem

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Microsoft recently hit back at experts who questioned a new feature of its Windows 8 operating system and the effects it may have on users' privacy.

A feature of Windows 8 allows users to automatically link many of their online accounts - including social networks, email services and other platforms - was recently questioned by privacy experts, but the company says these fears are overstated, according to a report from Network World. In particular, privacy advocates say the information used on sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Hotmail and Gmail created a cache of unencrypted contacts.

However, a Microsoft analyst also notes that this is not uncommon for any computer system, and does not endanger consumers, the report said. All operating systems cache data as a means of making the computer or other device run more quickly. Consequently, this data being stored on Windows 8 is no different from that being saved on other operating systems.

Eduard Goodman, chief privacy officer for Identity Theft 911, writes regularly about the ways consumers can increase the protections for their personal information on their computers or mobile devices and online.

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