The assumption is that Apple’s closed system has a positive impact on security and privacy.To find out how much truth is in that assumption, we spoke to Ray Walsh of the advocacy group ProPrivacy. Windows 10, on the other hand, runs on hardware from dozens of manufacturers, all offering different systems and configurations. Does MacOS go far enough?MacOS and Windows are both desktop operating systems, but they have different philosophies when it comes to security and privacy. We also went to Microsoft and Apple themselves to find out what their desktop operating systems do to keep your data safe. Could it be correct?We decided to ask the experts, from tech analysts and privacy advocates to antivirus specialists.“This means that Mac users are ultimately at the whim of the tech giant, and it is hard to state with any confidence exactly what kind of telemetry Apple might (or might not) be acquiring via its operating system.”“Apple has more control over its platform than any other manufacturer, and it could set much tighter restrictions on app developers.”Walsh has a point. However, Walsh does sound a word of caution: “Despite a popular perception that Apple is a security and privacy-conscious developer, the reality is that MacOS is a closed source platform,” he said. “This does make MacOS more secure, which improves data privacy by decreasing the chances of hardware-based vulnerabilities that lead to hacking or surveillance.”So far, so good.Walsh notes that Apple is still collecting a lot of data from users. However, it does still allow app developers to collect data from users directly.”In other words, if it’s going to hold tighter reins on its devices, it should also be held to a higher standard for privacy and security. “Apple does this less than some of its biggest competitors. But for Walsh, being better than the competition isn’t good enough.“Many firms profit from data by turning it into a direct revenue stream, selling consumer data to any third party that is willing to pay,” he said. Walsh notes that Apple shares personal data with fewer third-party companies, which allows Tim Cook to make some bold claims about its user privacy stances. This tight control is exasperating because Apple could do more with it to keep your data truly private.
![]() This kind of user data is used to keep Windows up-to-date and working properly, as well as aiding the delivery of the latest security updates. Five years on from the launch, is Windows 10 any better at keeping your data private?Rogers says Microsoft categorizes some data as “required” for sharing, such as basic diagnostics. Microsoft quickly made changes, but even these weren’t enough to placate regulatory bodies like the European Union. “The tracking performed is comprehensive and includes things like your search history in Bing, your browsing history and a transcript of the things you say to Cortana, your location history, and health data acquired via HealthVault and Microsoft Band.”In the early days of Windows 10, it was roundly criticized for the amount of data it collected by default. The ugly reality is that, despite all the talk, it is not opting to do those things.” Privacy remains an opt-in choice for Windows 10Ray Walsh may have been critical of Mac, but when it came to Windows, he held no punches.“Windows 10 is recognized by privacy experts as being invasive due to the widespread collection of telemetry data that is enabled by default,” he told us. Best Computer Security Full Diagnostic DataMicrosoft allows a significant level of customization but to my knowledge that is all opt-in by the user. “However, we have seen in the EU the concept of privacy by default. Ryan O’Leary, a Senior Research Analyst at IDC, told us there’s a catch in opt-in data collection.“Windows certainly gives their users the ability to make choice around what they are providing to Microsoft,” said O’Leary, who specializes in the legal side of tech, including risk management and regulation. “Users can change their privacy settings with regard to optional data collection at any time.”Sounds fair, right? Well, not so fast. This can’t be turned off, regardless of the settings you choose.It’s the data that falls into the “optional” category that Windows lets you control.“Data in the optional category (such as Full diagnostic data), like how the specific apps in use when an error occurs or data about a download start/finish to address download issues, helps us provide a better experience to customers,” Rogers told us. Dolby cp750 setup software downloadIf your Mac can do everything you need it to without sending your data to a third-party server, the chances of someone intercepting that data or hacking the server are greatly reduced.This is one area where Ray Walsh says Apple is doing well. Making use of differential privacyIs MacOS any better in this regard? When we spoke to people at Apple, they told us that the company’s Mac privacy stance is built on five pillars: Data minimization, on-device processing, transparency and control, protecting a user’s identity, and data security.Of those pillars, one of the most important for privacy is on-device processing. Even if Microsoft isn’t doing anything nefarious with the data, it gets into trouble leaving so many privacy concerns turned on by default.As it turns out, there’s a better alternative. There’s a reason regulatory bodies are moving toward privacy by default: Few people spend the time to dig into their privacy controls.
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