moreCortana: The spy in Windows 10
Credit: Pixabay Cortana, Windows 10’s built-in virtual assistant, is both really cool and really creepy
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
Computerworld | Aug 15, 2016 4:00 AM PT
When I first saw Mr. Spock talking to the Enterprise’s computer, I thought it was so cool. I still do. But the more I look at Cortana, Windows 10’s inherent virtual assistant, the more creeped out I get.
Let’s start with Cortana’s fundamental lust for your data. When it’s working as your virtual assistant it’s collecting your every keystroke and spoken syllable. It does this so it can be more helpful to you. If you don’t like that, well, you’ve got more problems than just Cortana. Google Now and Apple Siri do the same things. And it’s not just virtual assistants; every cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) does this to one degree or another — Google Docs, Office 365, whatever.
But Cortana doesn’t stop there. With the recently released Windows 10 Anniversary Update, hereafter Windows 10 SP1, you can’t shut Cortana off.
Maybe you don’t mind Microsoft listening to your every word so it can catch when you say, “Hey, Cortana.” I do. Yes, I want the coolness factor of being able to talk to my computer. But I want the reassurance that it’s not listening when I don’t need it to be. I want a simple on/off switch. Windows 10 SP1 doesn’t have one. This is interesting, though: Windows 10 Education does. Microsoft apparently is willing to respect the privacy of students. The rest of us? Not so much.
Tin Helmet brigade rears its ugly head again.....yawn!!!!
You can still sign out of or disable Cortana.
Cortana - Turn On or Off in Windows 10
Cortana - Enable or Disable in Windows 10
Computerworld - where useless tech journalists go to die
Could not agree more...just page filling rubbishComputerworld - where useless tech journalists go to die
Although I'm not particularly keen on the tone of the article, the request for a simple Cortana on/off switch like they had before and the advice to not install Windows with 'Express Settings' seems reasonable.
Cortana has respected my settings and remained off for me after the AU update though, therefore I don't have the Cortana Notepad icon in the Start Menu Search. So I guess I'll have to cross this bridge when I format my machine next.
Make sure you're properly attired
Make sure you're properly attired
By all means counter the points made by the author in the article. However to try to belittle and mock people who care about their privacy and take an interest in exactly what data is being collected and what happens to data collected is of no use to anyone.
The link is to Computerworld the Information is junk by definition
A friend and his wife who both saw their laptops upgraded from 8.1 love the voice command option while I simply put Cortana on the disabled list from the start. I still haven't gotten around to removing the icon off of the taskbar however since the RS1 update went on.Although I'm not particularly keen on the tone of the article, the request for a simple Cortana on/off switch like they had before and the advice to not install Windows with 'Express Settings' seems reasonable.
Cortana has respected my settings and remained off for me after the AU update though, therefore I don't have the Cortana Notepad icon in the Start Menu Search. So I guess I'll have to cross this bridge when I format my machine next.I wouldn't say everything from Computerworld is "junk science" but this 3rd party Tech Connect source raises some eye brows however. A number of junk blogs seem to be page fillers there. Other blogs they have link to Infoworld and PC World articles no longer seen going by how those were dated.The link is to Computerworld the Information is junk by definition
