Keylogger???

Having downloaded and installed in a VirtualBox environment on my MacBook (yesterday -- see this post), I was a wee bit concerned to learn that -- allegedly -- Microsoft is tracking me and collecting all my data. I turned to the internet to verify this and got a whole host of posts and blogs from people and forums with similar concerns. However, as I learned on reading various posts, including the hard-hitting one from The Register, MS has been open and right upfront about this. In fact, data collection from its "Insiders" is the whole point of Windows 10 Technical Preview.

Nevertheless, people are concerned, and some allege that Windows 10 has a "built-in keylogger" which logs every keystroke we type. According to MS, they indicated that they would be collecting data way up front in the User Agreement. Here's a quote attributed to one of their spokespersons:

"Users who ... opt-in to the Windows 10 Technical Preview are choosing to provide data and feedback that will help shape the best Windows experience for our customers."

The Windows Insider Program's Terms of Use includes this statement:

" * enter text, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving autocomplete and spell-check features."

And this clause, possibly, is what triggered the furore.

MS, however, doesn't specifically state which data it collects (one assumes that all typed information, file interaction, etc., is being logged for research purposes) but, this is a "Preview" OS (not even beta, for goodness' sake!) If you use it to conduct internet banking and write personal emails,  log into your private Social sites with your personal passwords, then you have only yourself to blame in case this collected data is hacked on its way to MS' servers -- however unlikely that may be.