Microsoft announced that it will be issuing separate reports for kids and teenagers, as part of its effort to ease privacy concerns surrounding Windows 10.
The company's latest operating system has faced a firestorm of criticism over privacy concerns related to the tracking features and data collection practices.
Microsoft has finally addressed these concerns, saying it's taken user feedback into account. One area Microsoft plans to adjust relates to activity reports. With an upcoming update, Microsoft aims to help parents better understand how their children use their home computers.
More specifically, a future update to the family features in Windows 10 will default to slightly different settings, which should be closer to what users want. For now, Windows 10 bombards users with weekly reports regarding their kids' usage habits — listing the apps they use, the sites they visit and other such info. Many consumers not only found this feature useless, but also feel that it violates their children's privacy. The following update will try to make amends.
"Listening to your feedback has been the foundation of Windows 10, and feedback on privacy is no exception," Terry Myerson, who is in charge of the Windows and Devices Group, explains in a new company blog post.
"As an example of direct response to feedback we've received, all Windows 10 customers will receive an upcoming update to family features, with default settings designed to be more appropriate for teenagers, compared to younger children."
The update could turn off weekly reports in Windows 10, but it will not eliminate usage tracking altogether.
Moreover, Myerson says the company is working on enhancing the notifications that parents and children receive about Windows' activity reporting. At the same time, Microsoft will soon release updates for enterprise customers as well, again taking their feedback into account. The company hasn't offered a specific timeframe for when these updates will roll out for enterprise, but says it will be "later this fall."
Lastly, the blog post reiterates the fact that Windows 10 collects anonymous device and app crash data with the purpose of improving reliability and personalizing the information it gets from users' interaction with Cortana to enhance the user experience.
