I like ashampoo as a company and have bought some decent software from them before. I just upgraded to Win10 yesterday and manually shut off everything I saw during the installation process. I ran this program and still found somethings on that I thought would have been off based on a previous selection. Levels within levels... lol Thanks for the heads up Doc.

Seems like it "says something" that somebody saw enough of a need to sit and write a utility to put a leash on Win10.  I'm wondering if they'll be able to keep up with the patches.  Thanks for the post.

 A good tool to have. I've used  DoNotSpy   as well. They both are a must for Windows 10  http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/donotspy10.html

Its all good if you get a free program that does helps you secure your privacy, but what about Antivirus Software like AVG?
AVG is  starting to sell customer information to 3rd partys, so using the Antivirus is almost impossible if you do not want to get SPAM or become transparent.

I know this goes into another direction, i mainly say this since it does seem that AVG isnt the only one making these changes, it looks like all of them are attached to one fishing line.

SO my question is should you be more worried about windows10 or...
 

Companies will sell data. W10 is a smart OS...to do some of those 'smart' things, it needs your data. Let's say you're NOT interested in those 'smart' things. Ashampoo's AntiSpy can help control access to that vast amount of data.

benmanns...if you think Ashampoo's collecting data and calling home, it should say something about that in its EULA. Since I did not install it (not on W10), perhaps someone might help and report back regarding the privacy aspects and it collecting data?

benmanns...that's just how I read what you wrote...so I suggested a remedy.

No big deal...wasn't taking it as a criticism. I thought it was a valid question.

I was somewhat skeptical when Microsoft announced that the Windows 10 upgrade for those folks on Windows 7 and 8.1 was going to be free.  I wondered just how are they going to work the Financial Balance Sheet with the lose of those revenues.  From all the news about data gathering/collection that appears to be inbeded in Windows 10 it is starting to become somewhat clear, atleast to this old fart, that they just might have swithced to a new business plan.

I guess it is true, in life there are no free lunches.  

Now this is just my opinion and not based on any facts or proof, but it does make you wonder.  

Man starkers......sometimes you just come across as so cranky!....

Obviously to each his/her own and I absolutely respect your opinion......but I just have to voice mine again.  As Doc also pointed out above obviously some of the mentioned 'privacy concerns' about Win10 are necessary to its smart operation and while some (you obviously as well) feel strong disdain for anything resembling 'smart technology' some of us actually use it and quite happily/sucessfuly in our day to day.

For instance.....every screen (TV or otherwise) in my home has the capability to have content delivered to it from any computational device (desktop, notebook, tablet, phone) by way of some very 'smart technology' (ie. Chromecast, Miracast etc. etc.).  It doesn't matter where I find myself in or around the home nor does it matter which device I am presently using, any and all content available to me can be delivered anywhere.  Hell......thanks to a little wonder called 'slingbox' I can even deliver my own live HD satellite feed (or anything residing on a DVR) to any device on the road while driving to the cottage.  All of that is pretty 'smart tech'.  Sure there are 'privacy' trade-off's and I'm sure all companies involved in my tech utopia (MS, Google, Slingmedia, Samsung, Nokia etc. etc.) are probably rubbing their hands in glee over all of the 'advertising data' they garner through me.  Thing is.........I don't really care.  If it means I can enjoy what I just described to you.......I'm good.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/no-microsoft-is-not-spying-on-you-with-windows-10/

That's just it, it's not about getting old, lazy, liking new toys or 'surrendering everything that's me'.  For me it is about making available tech work for me.  What good is all of the tech in the world if it can't be used to make my life better/easier in some way?  The example I posted about is not about me being lazy or being impressed by the latest toys, it is purely about making my life (and the lives of those connected to me) easier in even some small way.  When friends/family come by instead of crowding around someone's tiny phone/tablet in order to view that all important youtube video, family photo or other media with one simply click/tap of a button the desired content is sent to one of the screens/audio systems (wireless soundbars etc. are so handy for this as well) in the home.  Placeshifting media and being able to access anything anywhere has also cut down on what I carry with me when I travel.  Carrying USB sticks or external HD's around has been eliminated, all of which is technology working for me.  If that makes me lazy or just impressed by new toys in your eyes I guess it'll have to do.  Obviously the both of us use tech in different ways, no problem there........and while (as I already stated in my previous reply) I'm sure all of the corporations involved are gleaning some info which may be valuable to them from my activities I do not agree that I am having to 'surrender everything that is me' in order to enjoy same.

It's a shame that article makes no mention of WiFi Sense.  That one feature has Win 10 banned from my household.

@ the_Monk

I'm happy that you're happy with your smart tech and devices, but really, I have no need of such sophistication.  I don't travel very far or wide due to vertigo and mobility issues, so my needs are down to a tablet to check forums and etc, a phone to send or receive calls.  I don't bother with viewing video on my phone, screen is too small and piddly to bother, so IF I want to view a movie while out I'll do so on my 13.5" tablet via a USB stick... cos really, it's not a lot extra to carry in my satchel case with my other bits n' pieces [wallet; relevant documents; glasses; prescriptions, etc]

At home I'm happy enough to watch pay TV/free-to-air [IF there's anything decent on] and fiddle around on my PCs... meaning I have neither high expectations or high demands.  I'm happy that my Bluray player is internet capable, if I ever needed it, but so are my TVs and PCs... but I can only watch/focus on one at a time and have no need to stream from this device to that device to another.  I can only be in one room at a time, and while I have 3 TVs, I generally plan to watch whatever in whichever situation suits me best at the time.... in the man cave, feet up in bed or sitting on the lounge, etc.  To have stuff streaming all over the place would be overkill for me cos it's just me, and my needs are fairly simple.

I suppose some would say 3 TVs and 3 working PCs is overkill, but such things aren't portable and I don't live in just the one room.  Anyway, this is far removed from the OT and not relevant to it.

As for Win 10, if people are happy to use it then good for them.  I'm just not that trusting.  Yes, there are opinions on both side of the 'privacy' fence, and both sides present plausible arguments, but my reason for not upgrading is not just about 'snooping' concerns.  I simply don't like the look of it, what with the butt ugly UI, horrendous icons and a start menu that looks like it was retrieved from a Fisher Price Dumpster.  Without WindowBlinds, IconPackager and CursorFX, it is unusable for me.

Oh, and this article http://www.zdnet.com/article/no-microsoft-is-not-spying-on-you-with-windows-10/ doesn't prove a thing,  It's just another opinion by another tech writer.  Look, they can all interpret the EULA and privacy agreement however they want, when Microsoft says it will read the content of my emails and personal documents so it and its partners can target me with specific ads, well that's more than enough for me.  I don't want ads.  Period.