Paranoid torrent sites ban Windows 10 over privacy concerns
Since the launch of Windows 10, there have been all manner of privacy concerns -- some grounded in fact, others less so. Whatever your view of the latest version of Windows, it's impossible to deny that this has proved one of the more controversial releases to come from the Microsoft stable.
Getting in on the paranoia now are torrent sites, with some coming out and saying they have implemented a ban on the use of Windows 10 to connect to their trackers. Seemingly in response to the news that Windows 10 could disable counterfeit games, torrent sites including iTS have already put measures in place to block Windows 10 users from accessing them, while the likes of FSC and BB are considering taking similar action. Over-reaction?
As reported by TorrentFreak, iTS is worried about what it describes as "the terrible privacy policy of Windows 10". Concerned that information could be collected and shared with anti-piracy company MarkMonitor -- including the rather outlandish suggestion that "Windows 10 sends the contents of your local disks directly to one of their servers" -- users of the site are told that "Windows 10 is officially banned from iTS. Members using it get redirected to a video that eggsplains the dangers quite in detail hoping to enlighten as many people as possible".
While these are clearly the paranoid delusions of the tin-foil hat brigade -- the disdainful comments on Reddit make for amusing reading -- the concern is spreading like a virus. Torrent sites FSC and BB have also said they may also block the use of Windows 10; others may well do the same.
Clearly, even for sites (torrent related and otherwise) that implement Windows 10 bans, there are going to be ways to get around any blocks that may be put in place. But the real point here is that the misunderstanding and paranoia about Windows 10 is now starting to reach levels of insanity. Microsoft can be partly blamed for its failure to communicate effectively, but it's also fair to say that most of the privacy-related concerns about Windows 10 have been blown out of all proportion.
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