Yikes, whenever Microsoft tries to placate people after getting caught doing shady shit...It always feels like an admission. It makes me happy to be on Linux, I don't have to worry about this bullshit. Though, I am now side-eyeing my Xbox because if they are doing this on PC, it's a matter of time before Xbox is infected by their AI garbage.
this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2025
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Already has been. During the Snowden revelations of 2013, it was revealed that not only was Microsoft compliant with PRISM, audio and video from the Kinect's microphone was included in the datasets stored and made available to the NSA and marketers.
I would not be surprised if the Xbox profiles and screen captures were included as well, just now repurposed for training data.
The Snowden revelations are something I forgot about, this is a valid observation that you've brought back to the forefront of my mind. It was one of the many times that Microsoft was revealed to be an unscrupulous corporation.
Yeah, ever since I've never purchased a console (Only exception was a Wii and a 3DS, which I modded with homebrew and never connects to Nintendo's servers), because they are completely unable to be audited. Personal computers (and certain smartphones) can.
This might be my last time that I do buy a console for this reason; if I can't audit it, there is no reason to possess it! Getting a new computer with higher specs would last me for many years, and my old PC can be used for a personal NAS.
I will say buying older consoles that can be modded or don't connect to official services anymore (7th generation and below) is a lot easier to justify and to enjoy, but do keep in mind a lot of those can be replaced with emulation unless you have a particular reason in mind.
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My modded Wii is the one console I'd consider hooking back up.
My living room is a modded android stick and a steam deck on a dock
Just got two more people to switch to Linux today thanks to garbage like this. They're doing my evangelizing for me.
I wish the EU would require Microsoft to release the latest desktop (no cloud subscription required) version of Office for Linux (and broad, open ended criminal liability if they any tricks).
I cannot switch without a native, official supported version of Office.
You could use a virtual machine or a compartmentalized solution like Wimboat.
if you use a vm, you still need a legit copy of windows (lol)
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The EU would be the one to attempt to strong-arm Microsoft at any rate, since they care about their citizens. Making Microsoft create an Office version for Linux, is highly unlikely; as that isn't in Microsoft's best interests (despite it being beneficial for consumers). In my case, I can get by using open source software; LibreOffice Writer for general documents and Bibisco for creative writing.
You don't have to ever fully switch, there is an option to create a dual boot situation; a distro and Windows can coexist on the same machine. Or you could use Windows via a virtual machine when you need Office.
Office applications (Excel, Powerpoint, PowerBI, Word) is one area where I can't have any friction with using these application, since that I get my income. I need the latest version of these application for desktop, web version does not cut and Linux emulation seems very spotty unless you are OK with using a much older version of office like 2013/2016.
I am planning to buy a new laptop, might be worth trying to switch to Linux on the laptop and experiment with emulated Office solutions (while always having a reliable fallback on desktop).
So that's what AI snooping is called now? How is it better if there are Microsoft employees occasionally looking over your shoulder.
Lol.
Lmao, even.
Whoever believes a single word that company says?
Like why are we as a society normalizing lying about everything? "Marketing", "Public relations", even "Politics". All of which are ultimately pointless, as we don't need to keep buying shit, think better of corporations, and argue about same three questions over and over again.
Which is to say, fuck Microsoft. And everything they do. Yes, EVERYTHING. Including the open-source stuff. We need to break down big companies into much smaller ones.
I've thought this for well over a decade. Probably longer but I'm not going to do the math. Why the fuck do we have anti monopoly laws if they're never enforced anymore? Is it because they found loopholes? Especially with media conglomerates and horrors like Disney walking the land.
Their loopholes are called "campaign contributions".
It’s very easy to uninstall.
Step 1: Download Bazzite
Step 2: Install Bazzite
Step 3: Erase Windows
That’s all there is to it.
I don't give a flying fuck how they try to explain it. I don't want AI driven anything.
Let people opt in to that crap. They have an app store, out it's there.
if they did that then nobody would use it, and then the shareholders would be sad.
People are already opting in to use Windows though.
are being opted in. Slight difference.
Yes and no. It's still more a theoretical choice.
If you buy a new computer, you have basically the choice between MacOS and Windows. And if they do not want a Mac or are not able to afford it, the only only Windows.
Sure, you can buy computers with pre-installed Linux, but it's hard to find.
Now, with Hardware not supporting Windows 11 anymore, more people switch to Linux, but it's still a small amount. And many people do not know how to install linux. It's relativ easy these days on older hardware, but if one buys a brand new computer, there are often still problems with hardware that is not yet supported out of the box in Linux.
I think, consumers should have the right of choice for an OS at the moment they buy a computer. There should be the option to have Windows, a Linux distribution or no OS installed.
Still happy I switched to Linux. Been playing divinity original sin 2 without any problems. (It's one of those games I've started a hundred times but only finished once.)
Here's another signal that the AI bubble is desperate for new data. I believe AI is putting out more content than humans and so it's eating its own slop. All these companies are going to want to see everything you do to gain lesser and lesser benefits in new models. There's no way any of this shit scales.
Sure I totally believe them, but I'll keep blocking data access to Microsoft processes anyway
MicroShaft is the epitome of terrible, evil companies.
Settings -> Gaming -> Game Bar
Set to "off"
It's tough to remove the game bar cleanly (maybe impossible) because it's hooked into a lot of the xbox crap now. Yes I still game on Windows and took the Win11 pill because I like MSFS better than X-Plane and the last time I tried to configure multiple controller setups in Linux I gnashed my teeth and rended my garments.
It's funny because it's not like the game bar was useful anyway, what's the benefit of "gaming copilot" let alone the game bar?
Any other suggestions for Windows 11 users that haven’t had to use it since 8? I want to kill as much of their garbage as possible, but I feel like I missed so much of their dastardly crap I could be missing something.
If you have the ability to set up and run a powershell script and flash an iso, check out tiny11
Win11debloat. Thank me later.
I just said fuckit and ran an exe called CrapFIxer. Not going to link it because I have no idea if it's actually safe but I ran it on August 19th and my gaming PC doesn't seem to be part of a bot network... yet.
Its probably safer to activate and run windows 11 ltsc after verifying the iso from multiple sources. No need for scripts after that and you don't have to worry about the next new update forcing copilot into another part of Windows for a long time.
Get Windows 11 ltsc if you insist on using Windows. All that stuff people try to debloat is already not present on the ltsc version, and unlike the consumer version its not a constant battle of updates breaking things or installing yet another new copilot app.
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