Windows "Longhorn" Pre-Release Privacy Statement
At Microsoft, we're working hard to protect your privacy, while delivering products that bring you the performance, power and convenience you desire in your personal computing. This privacy statement explains many of the data collection and use practices of the Microsoft Pre-Release Windows operating system code named "Longhorn". This is a preliminary disclosure that focuses on features that communicate with the Internet. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list. It does not apply to other online or offline Microsoft sites, products or services.
Collection and Use of Your Personal Information
When we need information that personally identifies you or allows us to contact you, we will explicitly ask you for it. For example, if you choose to register your pre-release software, we will collect your name, address, telephone number, business name, and e-mail address. The personal information we collect from you will be used by Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates to provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized, and may also be used to request additional information on feedback that you provide about the product or service that you are using; to provide critical updates and notifications regarding the pre-release software; to improve the product or service, for example bug and survey form inquiries, or to provide you with advance notice of events or to tell you about new product releases.
Except as described in this statement, personal information you provide will not be transferred to third parties without your consent. We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, such as packaging, sending and delivering purchases and other mailings, answering customer questions about products or services, processing event registration, or performing statistical analysis of our services. We will only provide those companies the personal information they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose.
Microsoft may disclose personal information about you if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Microsoft or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Microsoft and its family of Web sites, or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of Microsoft employees, users of Microsoft products or services, or members of the public.
Collection and Use of Information About Your Computer
This pre-release version contains Internet enabled features that automatically collect information from your computer ("computer information") and send it to Microsoft. This computer information is generally not personally identifiable. Because this is a pre-release version of the software, most of these Internet enabled features are turned on by default, so that we can collect enough information about how the product is working to improve the commercially released product. The default settings in this pre-release software do not necessarily reflect how these features will be configured in the commercially released product. The privacy details for each Windows feature listed here will disclose what information is collected and how it is used. Information that is collected by or sent to Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities.
Security of Your Information
Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. For example, we store the information you provide on computer servers with limited access that are located in controlled facilities.
For More Information
If you have questions about this privacy statement, please contact us by e-mail or postal mail.
Windows Longhorn Privacy
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington 98052
longpriv@microsoft.com
Activation
What This Feature Does:
Activation is aimed at reducing software piracy as well as ensuring that Microsoft's customers are receiving the software quality that they expect. Activation means that a specific product key becomes associated with the computer (the hardware) it is installed on. After that happens, that product key cannot be used for activation on other computers.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
During activation of Windows XP SP1, product key information in the form of the product ID, plus the product key itself, is sent to Microsoft along with a hardware hash (a non-unique number generated from the computer's hardware configuration). The hardware hash does not represent any personal information or anything about the software. It is based on the MD5 hash algorithm, and consists of a combination of partial MD5 hash values of various computer components. The hardware hash cannot be used to determine the make or model of the computer, nor can it be backward-calculated to determine the raw computer information.
Use of Information:
The information is used only to confirm that you have a licensed copy of the software.
Choice/Control:
Activation is mandatory. If you choose not to activate the software, you cannot install or use it.
Application Help
What This Feature Does:
Application Help is one of the application compatibility technologies that support the installation and operation of applications on this pre-release software. Because some applications that work on earlier versions of Windows might not function properly on this version, the application compatibility technologies were developed to solve these potential problems and enable a better user experience. Application Help is most commonly used to block low-level applications—such as antivirus and disk-access utilities—that were not written for or intended for use on this version. By blocking the installation of these applications, this feature serves to avert serious problems that could compromise system integrity.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
In the Application Help dialog box, you can click the Details button, in which case additional information is displayed in the Help and Support Center for Windows XP. The Help content comes from either Microsoft.com if the computer is online, or from a local HTML Help file. The information that is displayed may provide a link to a non-Microsoft Web site, depending on the application. The URL provided for non-Microsoft Web sites is unique to each application. No information is sent to the Internet and you are not uniquely identified.
Choice/Control:
Application Help is on by default. Additional technical details for disabling Application Help are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Audit
What This Feature Does:
Auditing allows an administrator to monitor the system and create a security log. The log can help an administrator detect unauthorized access and troubleshoot problems.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
What information is collected, how long it is retained, and whether it is transmitted to another party is at the discretion of the administrator. The information could include a user's personally identifiable information.
Use of the Information:
How the information is used is up to the administrator.
Choice/Control:
It is up to the administrator whether this feature is enabled and how users are notified based on local law.
Castle
What This Feature Does:
The "castle" feature allows users to have the networking functionality of the domain, including roaming the user's profile, machine trust and having a consistent user identity throughout the network. The main difference with Castle is that users do not have to setup a dedicated machine, such as a domain controller, to maintain the trust and identity relationship. It also makes it easy to share and access files on those computers. Each computer on the same subnet can discover and join an existing castle. Or, the user can create a Castle. To join an existing castle, you must know the login credentials of an administrator account already part of the castle. Only non-blank passwords can grant access. This helps ensure only authorized computers join the castle (use of strong passwords for administrator accounts is highly recommended). When a computer joins a castle, the accounts on that computer will be added to the list of accounts accessible from any computer in the castle. User specific data (e.g. their password, access rights, and preferences) will be replicated on each computer in the castle and kept in sync. In addition, the newly joined computer will inherit and respect all policies from the Castle.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
To help standalone computers find the available castles on the subnet, the machines in the Castle send a broadcast a beacon containing the Castle's name. Be aware that if you share a subnet with other people (e.g. your neighbor when using a cable modem without a hardware router/firewall) they may be able to see the name of your castles. In this case only choose castle names you are comfortable sharing with others. When joining a castle, the credentials you enter will be sent using security technology (NTLM) to other computers in the castle.
Use of the Information:
Broadcasting the name of each castle makes it easy to discover what castles are available on the subnet. When joining a castle, the credentials help ensure only authorized computers join the castle.
Choice/Control:
The user must initiate joining a castle using the user interface provided. Whether the user's computer is able to join a castle depends on whether an administrator of a computer already part of the castle has provided the user with the appropriate credentials. When a castle is formed, a beacon containing the castle name will be broadcast. In this release there is no easy way to disable the beacon. A mechanism to disable the beacon will be added in a future release.
Important Information:
The Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) is enabled by default in this software. Therefore, if you create a Castle, it will send out the beacon, but because ICF is enabled, other computers running this software that have the firewall enabled won't see the beacon.
Device Manager
What This Feature Does:
Device Manager works in tandem with Windows Update to deliver updated drivers for installed hardware devices. Device Manager allows users to change the way hardware is configured, and to change the way hardware interacts with their computer's programs. With Device Manager, users can update device drivers for hardware installed on their computers, modify hardware settings, troubleshoot problems, and print a summary of the devices that are installed on the computer.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
To provide you with the appropriate list of updates, certain amount of configuration information from your computer, including operating-system version number, Internet Explorer version number, version numbers of other software for which Windows Update provides updates, Plug and Play ID numbers of hardware devices, and region and Language setting. Drivers and replacement files (critical updates, Help files, and Internet products) may be downloaded to your computer. The computer is uniquely identified and is logged in the download/installation success report, but your are not uniquely identified.
Use of Information:
The configuration information collected is used only to determine the appropriate updates and to generate aggregate statistics.
Choice/Control:
Device Manager is enabled by default, and cannot be disabled. However, Device Manager will only download updated drivers when you open Device Manager, clicks the Hardware tab, and then clicks Update Driver. This starts the Hardware Update Wizard.
Important Information:
For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Windows Update Privacy Statement at
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp.
Driver Protection Feature
What This Feature Does:
The Driver Protection prevents the operating system from loading drivers that are known to cause stability problems. These drivers are listed in a Driver Protection List database included in the software. Driver Protection checks this database during Windows operating system upgrades and at run time after the operating system is installed. These checks are performed to determine whether to load a driver under this software.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
No information is sent to the Internet about your system. Driver Protection downloads updated versions of the following files: drvmain.sdb, apphelp.chm, apphelp.sdb, and apphelp.dll.
Use of Information:
If a driver on the Driver Protection List is matched when the software starts, the operating system displays a pop-up Help balloon titled "Devices or Applications disabled" in the taskbar notification area when you log on. If you click that Help balloon, additional driver information and links to solutions for that problem are displayed in Help and Support Center.
If a driver on the Driver Protection List is matched during Windows Setup, a message will appear in the Report System Compatibility window before the operating system upgrade is completed. Users can either cancel Setup and find an alternate driver solution before installing the new operating system, or they can continue the setup process without first installing a driver that solves the problem. In this case, Setup may disable the driver in order to be completed. When users later log on, the operating system displays the pop-up Help balloon described above.
Choice/Control:
You cannot disable Driver Protection directly. Disabling Windows Update or avoiding the use of Dynamic Update will, however, block Driver Protection from updating the database files for the Driver Protection List on your system.
Error Reporting
What This Feature Does:
The Windows Error Reporting feature provides a service which allows Microsoft to track and address errors relating to the operating system, Windows components, and applications. This service, called the Error Reporting service, gives users the opportunity to send data about errors to Microsoft and to receive information about them. Moreover, it is an essential problem-solving tool allowing developers to address customer problems in a timely manner and to improve the quality of Microsoft products.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
The Error Reporting service collects Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which are not used to identify users. It does not intentionally collect anyone's name, address, e mail address, computer name, or any other form of personally identifiable information. It is possible that such information may be captured in memory or in the data collected from open files, but Microsoft does not use it to identify users.
In rare cases, such as problems that are especially difficult to solve, Microsoft may request additional data, including sections of memory (which may include memory shared by any or all applications running at the time the problem occurred), some registry settings, and one or more files from your computer. Your current documents may also be included. When additional data is requested, you can review the data and choose to send the information or not.
Use of Information:
The data that Microsoft collects is used strictly for the purpose of tracking down and solving problems that users are experiencing.
Choice/Control:
Whenever there is an error, the error report will be generated. Users are asked each time if they want to send the information to Microsoft, after having an opportunity to view what is in the error report.
Important Information:
For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Error Report Privacy Information at http://oca.microsoft.com/en/dcp20.asp.
Event Viewer
What This Feature Does:
Administrators can use Event Viewer to view and manage event logs. Event logs contain information about hardware and software problems and about security events on your computer. While Event Viewer is primarily a tool for administrators to manage event logs, users can also view application and system logs on their computer.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
In order to access the relevant Help information provided by the link in the Event Properties dialog box, you must send the information listed about the event. The collected data is confined to what is needed to retrieve more information about the event from the Microsoft Knowledge Base. User names and e-mail addresses, names of files unrelated to the logged event, computer addresses, and other forms of personally identifiable information are not collected.
Use of Information:
Users can access event logs for their own computer through Control Panel\Administrative Tools\Event Viewer. You can obtain detailed information about a particular event by either double-clicking the event, or selecting the event and clicking Properties on the Action menu.
Choice/Control:
When users click the link, they are asked to confirm that the information presented to them can be sent over the Internet. If you click "Yes", the information listed will be sent to the Web site named in the link. The parameters in the original URL will be replaced by a standard list of parameters whose contents are detailed in the confirmation dialog box.
File Association Web service
What This Feature Does:
The file association Web service extends the scope of information stored locally by the operating system about file name extensions, file types, and the applications or components to use when opening a particular file type. Both the locally stored information and the file association Web service are intended to provide you with the ability to open (double-click) a file without having to specify which application or component to open it with.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
If the operating system does not find local information about a file name extension, it offers you the option of sending a query to look for more information on a Microsoft Web site. The site is language-specific; the file name extension that you double-click is appended to the query.
Use of Information:
The operating system associates the file name extension (for example, .txt or .jpg) with a file type, and it opens each file type with the application or component specified for that file type.
Choice/Control:
To limit the flow of information from the file association Web service to the Internet, you have several options. You can use firewall settings, you can disable the file association Web service by setting a registry key, you can configure automatic server-based software installation through Group Policy, and you can train users so that they understand how to specify an association between a file type and the application or component that is used to open that file type.
Important Information:
Additional technical details for disabling Event Viewer through the use of Group Policy or by editing the registry key are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Caution:
Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer. You can also use the Last Known Good Configuration startup option if you encounter problems after manual changes have been applied.
Help and Support Center: Headlines
What This Feature Does:
Headlines provides a dynamic source of content that users can visit frequently to find help and support on current issues as well as those that were known at the time the operating system was released. For example, it may display links to topics that inform you about new security bulletins, software updates, or new Help content.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
If there is Internet connectivity, when you start Help and Support Center, the Help and Support service compares the current date to the date specified by the TIMESTAMP attribute and calculates the total number of days that have elapsed since the last time Headlines was successfully updated. Then, if the number of elapsed days is greater than the number of days specified by the FREQUENCY attribute, the Help and Support service connects to the Web site specified by the URL attribute and downloads an updated version of the Headlines page. You are not uniquely identified.
Use of Information:
The information sent to Microsoft is used only to determine whether an update to the Headlines section is needed.
Choice/Control:
The feature is enabled by default. It can be turned off only by editing the registry key at this time.
Important Information:
Additional technical details for disabling Event Viewer through the use of Group Policy or by editing the registry key are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Caution:
Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer. You can also use the Last Known Good Configuration startup option if you encounter problems after manual changes have been applied.
Help and Support Center: Online Search
What This Feature Does:
Online Search enables users to query online Web sites automatically when performing a search, including the Microsoft Knowledge Base and other OEM-designated Web sites for results to their search query.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
In order to return relevant results, the following information is transmitted to the Microsoft Knowledge Base and any other OEM-designated Web sites included in the Search option:
| • | The search text string you entered |
| • | The language code of the operating system |
| • | The product Knowledge Base to be searched (for example, Windows XP or Outlook) |
| • | The SKU of the operating system installed (for example, Home Edition, Professional, or Server) |
| • | The number of results you have indicated that you want in your result set |
| • | Titles field status (indicates whether or not to search the article title only) |
| • | Type field status (indicates whether to search using "all" or "any" of the search string) |
Use of Information:
The information is used to respond to the search query. In addition, Microsoft aggregates the query data, without any identifying information, and uses it in developing new content or in revising existing content.
Choice/Control:
Online search is enabled by default. To turn it off, go to the Help and Support Center. Below the Search box, click Set search options. Click to clear the Microsoft Knowledge Base check box and any other check boxes below it.
Important Information:
This disclosure applies only to the Microsoft Knowledge Base, and no representations are made with respect to how other designated web sites collect or use the search information.
Internet Explorer
What This Feature Does:
Internet Explorer is an Internet browser that is designed to make it easy for you to browse and interact with sites on an intranet or on the Internet.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
For details on what information is collected and how it is used by Internet Explorer, please see the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement at:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=20615
Use of Information:
Information is used in accordance with the Internet Explorer Privacy Statement, located at: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=20615
Internet Printing
What This Feature Does:
Internet printing makes it possible for client computers running Microsoft Windows to use printers located anywhere in the world by sending print jobs using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
The Internet printing process is as follows:
A user connects to a print server over the Internet by typing the URL for the print device. The HTTP request is sent over the Internet to the print server. The print server requires the client to provide authentication information. This ensures that only authorized users print documents on the print server. After a user has authorized access to the print server, the server presents status information to you by using Active Server Pages (ASP), which contains information about currently available printers. When you connect to any of the printers on the Internet printing Web page, the Windows client first tries to find a driver for the printer locally. If an appropriate driver cannot be found, the print server generates a cabinet file (.cab file, also known as a setup file) that contains the appropriate printer driver files. The print server downloads the .cab file to the client computer. You are prompted for permission to download the .cab file. After users connect to an Internet printer, they can send documents to the print server by using Internet Printing Protocol (IPP).
Choice/Control:
To prevent the use of Internet printing from a client computer running Windows, you can delete the registry key that the Print Spooler service uses to load the Internet print provider. Deleting the Internet print provider registry key on a client computer will prevent users of that computer from using Internet printing through the Run dialog box, the Add Printer Wizard, and the browser. Deleting this key, however, may affect other print operations.
Important Information:
Additional technical details for disabling Internet Printing by editing the registry key are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Caution:
Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer. You can also use the Last Known Good Configuration startup option if you encounter problems after manual changes have been applied.
Location Awareness
What This Feature Does:
The Location Awareness feature collects computer location data such as address, position, building/floor/room, and stores it locally in the WinFS store. It also collects data that helps to determine the location information of your computer, but is not directly useful as location information itself, such as: MAC addresses of access points near your computer and the IP address of the subnet and default gateway to which you are connected. It collects data from you, from the active directory, from wireless zeroconfig, and from IPhelper. The feature is turned off by default.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
Any application can access this data once the Location Awareness service is started. Third party plug-ins can also be written to allow for other location awareness applications to provide information through this API (e.g., GPS plug-in).
Use of Information:
Applications can obtain your location information from the Location Awareness service and make decisions for you automatically based on your location. Such decisions might include automatically finding points of interest near your, finding printers near your and allowing you to show your location to your contacts.
Choice/Control:
The Location Awareness service is off by default, but can be turned on by going to Administrative Tools, selecting Services and clicking start on the location awareness service.
MSN Explorer
What This Feature Does:
MSN Explorer is a feature that connects you to the free non-subscriber section of the MSN.com Web site. From this default site you have access to all of the MSN services. The MSN.com Web site is an Internet connectivity service that provides access to a variety of personal-interest information and services, as well as providing a portal to the Internet.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
If you choose to use MSN Explorer (including signing up for MSN Internet Access with an MSN dial-up account, an existing Internet account, or an access method such as a local area network) MSN will collect certain personal information. This personal information includes e-mail address, name, home or work address, and telephone number. MSN also collects demographic information, such as ZIP Code, age, gender, preferences, interests, and favorites. Information about your computer hardware and software is also collected. This information may include: IP address, browser type, domain names, access times, and referring Web site addresses. MSN uses .NET Passport to provide registration and sign-in services. All of the registration information provided is stored by MSN, and some or all of that information will also be stored by .NET Passport.
Use of Information:
MSN and its operational service partners collect and use the personal information collected to operate MSN effectively and to deliver the services that its users have requested. Some information is also sent to MSN servers for service quality monitoring and the AutoUpdate service. For more information about how the information that is collected is used, see the MSN privacy policy at privacy.msn.com/.
Choice/Control:
The user initiates using MSN Explorer and signing up for MSN Internet Access. If you do not wish to send the information described above to Microsoft, do not use MSN Explorer.
Important Information:
If you are an administrator and wish to disable use of MSN Explorer on your network, technical details are available at: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp.
Online Device Help
What This Feature Does:
Online Device Help (also known as the "Get help for my hardware device" wizard) delivers targeted content on problems with hardware and peripheral devices installed on the system. This mitigates the need for users to call support professionals to resolve hardware issues.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
You are not uniquely identified in any information uploaded to Microsoft. The following information is collected from your computer and uploaded to a server at Microsoft:
| • | The hardware ID, also known as the PnP ID (code that indicates the device manufacturer, device name, and version). |
| • | The time and date that the data was sent. |
| • | Language code of the operating system, and 4) platform and build information. |
Use of Information:
The data provided by Online Device Help enables Microsoft to identify the number and system locale of users experiencing hardware problems due to missing drivers and to identify the most common problem devices. Microsoft works with these hardware vendors to provide targeted troubleshooting content on the most common problem hardware devices.
Choice/Control:
You have control over whether or not to upload anonymous hardware profile information about your system. You cannot, however, disable Online Device Help directly. To block Online Device Help, you can restrict Internet access. You can also use a firewall or configure the Services snap-in. You can also control Online Device Help by disabling the Upload Manager service that manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network. Disabling this service will block the upload of the anonymous hardware profile data.
Important Information:
Additional technical details for disabling Online Device Help are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Plug and Play
What This Feature Does:
Windows Plug and Play provides ease of support for installing devices on computers in your network. You can simply plug in a Plug and Play device and Windows does the rest by installing any necessary drivers, updating the system, and allocating resources. After you install a Plug and Play device, the driver is configured and loaded dynamically, typically without requiring user input.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
The Code Download Manager (CDM) calls Windows Update to find and download device drivers. The CDM also calls Help and Support Center, which logs in Windows Update Plug and Play IDs for devices that Microsoft does not have drivers for. Neither of these communications is under the direct control of Plug and Play. The CDM handles all of the communication between the computer and Windows Update. None of the communication between the computer and the Internet uniquely identifies you.
Use of Information:
Plug and Play uses information to detect a Plug and Play device and determines its hardware resource requirements and device identification number (Plug and Play ID), locate an appropriate device driver for newly installed devices, allocate hardware resources, dynamically load, initialize, and unload drivers, notify other drivers and applications when a new device is available, and in conjunction with power management, handle stop and start processes for devices during hibernation, standby, and startup and shutdown operations.
Choice/Control:
Plug and Play is enabled by default. Plug and Play cannot be disabled as system instability would result. However, you can target search locations for drivers, or you can prevent users and computers from automatically accessing the Windows Update Web site in any instance. If you choose to disable automatic updating for users' computers, you can enable Windows Update for specified servers on your network, and have users' computers access an intranet server for selected updates.
Important Information:
For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Windows Update Privacy Statement at http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
Program Compatibility Wizard
What This Feature Does:
The Program Compatibility Wizard is applied whenever an application is installed on the operating system, whether in the course of a system upgrade or during regular operations. If users have an application compatibility problem they can use the wizard to make setting adjustments and run the application successfully.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
The results of the Program Compatibility Wizard data, including settings and problems that were encountered with the application being installed, are sent to Microsoft. You are not uniquely identified.
Use of Information:
Information sent by the Program Compatibility Wizard to Microsoft is used to make setting adjustments when users encounter application compatibility problems.
Choice/Control:
You cannot disable the Program Compatibility Wizard. Using Group Policy, you can prevent data from being sent to the Internet. Using Group Policy you can configure the Report Errors policy setting to prevent data from the Program Compatibility Wizard from being sent to Microsoft.
Important Information:
Additional technical details for the Program Compatibility Wizard through the use of Group Policy are available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/xpmanaged/00_abstr.asp
Registration
What This Feature Does:
Product registration involves the provision of personally identifiable information, such as an e-mail address, to Microsoft for the purpose of receiving information about product updates and special offers.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
If you choose to register the software, you will be asked to provide your name, address, telephone number and email address.
Use of Information:
Microsoft will use your registration information to send you additional information about product updates and special offers. All registration information is protected using a variety of security technologies. Your information is never loaned or sold to other parties, and it will not be shared with partners without your consent.
Choice/Control:
Registration is optional.
Update Root Certificates
What This Feature Does:
When an application is presented with a certificate issued by a certification authority that is not directly trusted, the Update Root Certificates feature will contact the Microsoft Windows Update Web site to see if Microsoft has added the certification authority to its list of trusted authorities. If the certification authority has been added to the Microsoft list of trusted authorities, its certificate will automatically be added to the trusted certificate store on your computer.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
Update Root Certificates sends a request to the Windows Update Web site, asking for the current list of root certification authorities in the Microsoft Root Certificate Program. If the untrusted certificate is named in the list, Update Root Certificates obtains that certificate from Windows Update and places it in the trusted certificate store on your computer. No user authentication or unique user identification is used in this exchange.
Use of Information:
The information is used to update the trusted certificate store on your computer.
Choice/Control:
Update Root Certificates is enabled by default, and cannot be turned off if the component is installed. To remove the Update Root Certificates component from an individual computer:
1. | Click Start, and then either click Control Panel, or point to Settings and then click Control Panel. |
2. | Double-click Add or Remove Programs. |
3. | Click Add/Remove Windows Components (on the left). |
4. | Scroll down the list of components to Update Root Certificates, and make sure the check box for that component is cleared. |
5. | Follow the instructions to complete the Windows Components Wizard. |
Important Information:
If you are presented with a certificate issued by a root authority that is not directly trusted, and the Update Root Certificates component is not installed on your computer, you will be prevented from completing the action that required authentication. For example, you might be prevented from installing software, viewing an encrypted or digitally signed e-mail message, or using a browser to engage in an SSL session.
Windows File System (WinFS)
What This Feature Does:
WinFS is the storage subsystem in Longhorn for searching, organizing and sharing data.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
All end user data in Longhorn including contact information, data saved by applications, documents and media. None of this information is sent to Microsoft.
Use of Information:
Files stored in WinFS contain metadata properties. When you take an existing Windows file and move it to WinFS, a new WinFS "Item" (basic unit of storage for any type of document) will be created. WinFS will populate this Item with metadata extracted from the file. The properties stored in these Items can be targeted when you perform detailed queries. Access control will be provided for WinFS Items, so that only users with the proper permissions will be able to query on the WinFS Items. (Please note the Important Information below.) WinFS also allows you to establish "Relationships" that are used to correlate Items with each other (such as an employee relationship between a person and a company). Use of Relationships during queries will also be subject to access control for different users.
Choice/Control:
A WinFS Item can be serialized into a transportable format. If the WinFS Item has been created after copying a file into the WinFS Store, then all metadata that had been promoted from the file into the Item will be included in the serialized format. WinFS does not export serialized Items outside of the Store on your behalf. This only happens when you decide to move Items between computers.
Important Information:
Access control for individual Items and Relationships is not implemented for the PDC release. All users that have access to the Store share equal access to all Items and Relationships in the Store.
Windows Messenger
What This Feature Does:
Windows Messenger enables users to communicate instantly and to collaborate with their selected contacts. Windows Messenger version 5 is the real-time communication feature for Windows and offers not only instant messaging, but also voice and video communications, application sharing, whiteboard, file transfer, and remote assistance.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
In order to use the Messenger service, you must have or sign up for a .NET Passport. For details on what information is collected and how it is used by the Messenger Service, please see the .NET Privacy Statement, http://www.passport.net/Consumer/PrivacyPolicy.asp
Use of Information:
Information is used in accordance with the .Net Privacy Statement, located at
http://www.passport.net/Consumer/PrivacyPolicy.asp
Choice/Control:
Use of Windows Messenger is optional, and can be only be accessed by signing up for a .NET Passport.
Important Information:
The version of Messenger contained in the software has a new feature that will record all your text conversations by default on your computer. Handwritten instant messages and images will not appear in your message history. Anyone who has access to your computer will have access to your saved messages. If you are using instant messaging, and have not disabled recording, you may be required under local law to tell everyone with whom you are messaging that you are recording the communications. NOTE: This feature cannot be disabled in this pre-release version. The commercially released software will allow users to turn this feature on or off. If you do not want all your messaging recorded by default, do not use the version of Windows Messenger included with this software.
Windows Media Player
What This Feature Does:
Microsoft Windows Media Player (also called the Player) enables users to play and organize digital media files on their computer and on the Internet. Users can play CDs and DVDs (if they have DVD hardware), create custom CDs, listen to radio stations, search for and organize digital media files, and copy files to a portable device.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
For details on what information is collected and how it is used by Windows Media Player, please see the Windows Media Privacy Statement at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/privacy/9splayer.aspx
Use of Information:
Information is used in accordance with the Windows Media Player Statement, located at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/privacy/9splayer.aspx
Windows Rights Management Services Client Software
What This Feature Does:
Microsoft® Windows® Rights Management Services (RMS) Client Software in Windows Longhorn is information protection technology that works with RMS-enabled applications to help safeguard digital information from unauthorized use—both online and offline, inside and outside of the firewall. Users can define exactly how the recipient can use the information, such as who can open, modify, print, forward and/or take other actions with the information.
In order to create or view a file with restricted permission you must be running an RMS-enabled application and have access to an RMS server.
The first time the RMS client software is utilized, there is an activation process, which uses certain Internet-hosted services which enable users to use the system components of the platform that are necessary to enable the RMS features of the software, during a process called machine activation.
Information Collected, Processed or Transmitted:
During the RMS client machine activation, your computer will be automatically connected via the Internet or by your entity's proxy server in order to create and save on your computer a system component that is associated with your hardware. The system component is used by the software to allow you to access content that has been rights-protected by the permission features of the software. None of the information collected or generated as part of the machine activation process, is personally identifiable.
Use of Information:
None of the information collected or generated as part of machine activation is personally identifiable. Microsoft will not retain any information collected during the activation process, except on a temporary basis where necessary to diagnose and resolve a problem with the Windows RMS system. Microsoft does not share any of the information collected during the activation process outside Microsoft.
Choice/Control:
You can choose not to enable or use the RMS features. However, you will not be able to open files with restricted permissions.
Windows Time Service
What This Feature Does:
The Windows Time service automatically synchronizes a local computer's time with other computers on a network to improve security and performance in your organization.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
The service sends information in the form of a network packet to other computers.
Information related to the service is stored in the Windows System event log. The time and network address of the time synchronization source is contained in the Windows event log entries. Additionally, warning or error condition information related to the service is stored in the Windows System event log.
Use of Information:
Information is used by the Windows Time service to automatically synchronize the local computer's time with other computers on the network. The service does not store information, as all information that results from the time synchronization process is lost when the time synchronization service request is completed.
Choice/Control:
The Windows Time service is installed by default. Disabling the service has no direct effect on applications or other services. Applications and services that depend on time synchronization may fail, or they may yield undesirable results if there is a significant time discrepancy among computers.
You can stop the service manually by accessing services in Administrative Tools or by using the Net Time tool.
Windows Update and Automatic Update
What This Feature Does:
Windows Update is an online catalog customized for computers running Microsoft Windows that consists of items such as drivers, critical updates, Help files, and Internet products. Windows Update scans your computer and provides a tailored selection of updates that apply only to the software and hardware on that specific computer. Windows Update then enables users to choose updates for their computer's operating system and hardware. New content is added to the Windows Update Web site regularly, so users can always get the most recent and secure updates and solutions.
When Automatic Update is enabled, users do not need to visit special Web pages or remember to periodically check for new updates. The update occurs automatically and an icon appears in the notification area each time new updates are available.
Information Collected, Processed, or Transmitted:
Drivers and replacement files (critical updates, Help files, and Internet products) may be downloaded to your computer. The computer is uniquely identified and is logged in the download/installation success report, but you are not uniquely identified.
Use of Information:
This information is only used to provide users with selection of updates that apply only to the software and hardware on your specific computer.
Choice/Control:
Automatic Update is not enabled by default; users are prompted to enable this option following Setup.
Important Information:
For more details on what information is collected and how it is used, see the Windows Update Privacy Statement at http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp