Privacy concerns in Windows Live/Messenger/Hotmail
Read Woody Leonhard's column about the privacy concerns with Windows Live and its adjoined Messenger and Hotmail.
Some highlights:
"...imagine my surprise when I discovered that the so-called new and improved, privacy-conscious version of Windows Live - the social-networking sphere containing Messenger and Hotmail - continues to share my personal information, even when I explicitly tell it to keep my info and communications private."
"MS has also taken the liberty of converting your Messenger contacts into Friends. It then shares information about these new Friends with each other. To try to prevent this sharing (and, based on my tests, you can't), you have to navigate a mind-boggling labyrinth of privacy settings."
"When I use Facebook, I fully expect that other people will be able to see what I'm doing. No problem - I would never use Facebook for sensitive business communications. But when I use Messenger, I expect it to be as private as a phone call.
"I don't expect my iPhone to suddenly start telling me, "Your dentist called Bank of America an hour ago, your wife just got off the phone with Isaiah Mustafa, and your son is dialing 1-900-HOT-DATES." That's essentially what Windows Live is doing, using Messenger and Hotmail."
*Crossposted to insanejournal and dreamwidth
Some highlights:
"...imagine my surprise when I discovered that the so-called new and improved, privacy-conscious version of Windows Live - the social-networking sphere containing Messenger and Hotmail - continues to share my personal information, even when I explicitly tell it to keep my info and communications private."
"MS has also taken the liberty of converting your Messenger contacts into Friends. It then shares information about these new Friends with each other. To try to prevent this sharing (and, based on my tests, you can't), you have to navigate a mind-boggling labyrinth of privacy settings."
"When I use Facebook, I fully expect that other people will be able to see what I'm doing. No problem - I would never use Facebook for sensitive business communications. But when I use Messenger, I expect it to be as private as a phone call.
"I don't expect my iPhone to suddenly start telling me, "Your dentist called Bank of America an hour ago, your wife just got off the phone with Isaiah Mustafa, and your son is dialing 1-900-HOT-DATES." That's essentially what Windows Live is doing, using Messenger and Hotmail."
*Crossposted to insanejournal and dreamwidth