WMP is Spyware (news)

[Bugs Bunny]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=70&u=/cn/20020221/tc_cn/windows_media_aware_of_dvds_watched

[wmansir]

WMP has been doing this with CDs for a while, right? I haven't used WMP to play a DVD so I don't know, but the description (track titles, cover art, credits, ect.) sounds like the same stuff that a CD brings up. Perhaps with a CD it doesn't store a cookie.

[Taric25]

If anyone is concerned about this, why wouldn't they just delete those files?

1. Taksbar>right click>properties>advanced>clear
2.Start Conntrol Panel>Internet options>
2a. delete all ofline content
2b. clear history
2c. Delete all remaining cookies
3. My computer>hard drive>right click properties>clean up.

Simple as that. No need for "Evidence eliminator" or anything like that.

[Bugs Bunny]

@wmansir

WMP has always kept a history of what you play, true, but it's only with WMP 8 (may be WMP 7.x too, not sure) that it begins contacting the Microsoft site. I've used WMP 6.4 for a while, and it doesn't phone-home unless it hits a funky codec.

@Taric25

What you're doing about is deleting the cookies only after the fact (i.e. only after WMP has contacted the MS site and upload your viewing info). It doesn't change the spyware property any. Secondly, realize that the Delete Cookies does not delete all cookies. Certain "MS confidential" cookies are kept, and can only be deleted via 3rd-party tools. Lastly, count up how many clicks are required in your procedure. User-friendly? I think not.

Anyway, it's time well spent for blokes to read MS' revised privacy policy (linked from above article). While you can disable the specific phone-home function, you cannot stop WMP from contacting the MS site periodically--unless you disable all cookies, which isn't an option. Another noteworthy "feature" is that your GUID (presumably hashed from the WPA function) is sent every time you view a streaming movie, so even if MS can't tag you, any other vendor can. This ID'ing is necessary for copy-protection, is bound to get worse as WMP tightens its link to online movie releases.

[diji1]

Hi,

Beats me why anyone would use WMP for playing DVDs or anything else - but you could use a cookie blocker ( such as Cookie Pal ) to block cookies to that application. IMO, if you use M$ products ( windows, outlook, ie etc ) expect to have records kept of ur activities and the hassle of removing them if you object to the practice - is it worth it ??

[Taric25]

@Bugs Bunny
You're correct. My procedure isn't user friendly. My instructions were also written with the assumption that everyone is using a firewall.

[Bugs Bunny]

People will use WMP because it's there by default; and it's the only thing available if you want streaming Windows Media stuff. Most blokes buy whole systems, and puter companies will go for the cheapest option, which means ponying up a few bucks for the DVD addon pack (using WMP) rather than paying for a new player like PowerDVD. Remember that we--techie blokes--aren't "normal people". Tech blokes will know the tricks to get around most MS crap, but normal people aren't going to be as savvy. MS will get its fill of marketing info from the 99% of the clueless users simply because all of the options are enabled by default. Who cares about the 1% that knows how to disable them?

But diji1 is on the nose with the fact that most bundled MS apps are spyware to varying extent. Hell, the OS itself is spyware if you are stuck with the WPA crap.

Re: Firewall - Again, those few blokes who are aware of what a firewall is will resort to the most convenient (and free) option, which is using XP's built-in firewall. Aside from that it doesn't block outbound traffic, I doubt very much that it will block app-specific traffic. Anyway, you can't block WMP if you are going to use it to view any streaming AV at all. It's a huge hassle to enable then disable the block each time. Cookie blocks aren't any better, since as with many websites, cookies are needed to get the streaming to work.

It's informational from a marketing perspective (any of ya marketing types out there) to see the effectiveness of "slippery slope" tactic being used. Most techie types are pretty blase about this latest WMP thing. It's old news, they say, since WMP 7 has always had this with audio CDs. So what if they include DVDs now? They aren't aware that their privacy is being eroded in stages, with the first stage being mild enough to not trigger their alarm radar. Then, little by little, more and more of their activities are recorded and gathered, and they go along with it, because each erosion is just a trivial thing. At the end, when their whole kit 'n kaboodle is wrapped up nicely for MS' marketing depts, then they throw up their hands and say that "it's just the way it is, ya got no privacy and ya just gotta live with it." It's emblematic of consumer behavior, and if ya be a marketing drub or even a political one, take good notes, as this is how you can change consumer attitude--not all at once, but a little at a time.

[Doom9]

umm.. I don't get what the big deal is. Does anyone even use WMP to play their DVDs? I'd never even consider getting the DVD plus pack for XP, I'm more than happy with the regular standalone versions of WinDVD and PowerDVD XP which don't have such a problem.

[mrdish2000]

see
http://www.wininformant.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=24202

[Bugs Bunny]

>..In short, MPXP includes a feature that does exactly what most users want, and it doesn't violate their privacy or security in any way.


Hah, one of the nice things about web reporting is that you can always find an opinion to match your own if you look hard enough. At least the bias here is self-evident, as it would be hard to believe a Windows site (which is what WinInformant is) would go about lambasting the only product it's covering. It'd be like going to a Mac site and hearing people complaining about how bad the Mac is.

[MaTTeR]

I'm with Doom9 on this one. Why do people keep using WiMP when there are some many other great players out? I don't understand:)