Post #3742969

2026-07-11 15:45 UTC

I'm "paranoid" and "alarmist" for things like refusing to sign in to windows with a Microsoft account over privacy and control concerns, but then when this kind of shit happens my critics always conveniently forget that I told them so: https://www.windowslatest.com/2026/07/10/you-cant-fully-disable-microsofts-gdid-windows-11-tracker-but-these-settings-limit-what-it-captures/

Replies (6)

@d_olex@mastodon.social 2026-07-11 16:54

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town 1) GDID tracking doesn't depend on a Microsoft online account; it works with standard local accounts as well; 2) This feature isn't exclusive to Windows. For instance, Linux has an /etc/machine-id file, which Chrome (and many other programs) logs to its servers; 3) There's no easy solution for this problem: as long as you're using any proprietary software with its own auto-update mechanism, you'll always be tracked;

Open ##3745123
@rhoot@mastodon.gamedev.place 2026-07-11 20:03

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town the biggest surprise here is that Microsoft also records _which websites_ are being visited: > Microsoft’s records showed that at that exact same minute, a Windows device carrying GDID g:6755467234350028 had visited the ngrok signup page. Three hours later, the same GDID visited the retailer’s own website, through the same Tzulo proxy address used to set up the ngrok account.

Open ##3749601
@tezoatlipoca@mas.to 2026-07-11 16:14

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town Well.... THATS FUCKING NEFARIOUS HORSESHIT

Open ##3760257
@connynasch@mastodon.social 2026-07-11 16:41

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town WTF! Why the hell are we tearing our hair out over chat control? This is really shitty.

Open ##3760263
@Waldorf@infosec.exchange 2026-07-11 17:22

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town Did it ever occur to you that you're fighting the same battle as trying to convince Republicans that Trump is stealing everything that isn't tied down and that they gave him the keys?

Open ##3784328
@landelare@mastodon.gamedev.place 2026-07-11 22:48

@earthshine@masto.hackers.town I just don't get it. Supposedly technical people sign in with a Microslop account, see that it's shit, and conclude "oh well, guess it's staying like this now".

Open ##3793506