analytics
A clean install of Windows is not “clean”
We have all seemingly accepted data collection as a fact of life, and given up our right to privacy in exchange for using technology. In many cases, we don’t have a choice. Government services are increasingly online-preferred, and banks charge fees specifically for in-branch transactions and paper copies of documents.
Of course, many of us do our best to limit the information we share online and with other companies. We use aliases for online communities, we use ad blockers and click “Reject All Cookies” in our browsers. We only install programs we want and avoid spyware and bloatware. We deselect and uncheckmark, reject and “decline” our way through this ever more cumbersome and frustrating future of computing.
Right?
Turns out, spyware and tracking is no longer a war on cookies or bundled browser toolbars. It’s baked into our operating systems, applications, and while I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s even in the drivers.
Today this notification popped up on my laptop, from a program I never installed:
Let’s figure out why it is there.
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