Microsoft sued over Windows 10 update campaign
I won&#x27;t use a Microsoft Windows computer as my daily driver due to dark patterns, privacy issues, new business model etc, but I also wouldn&#x27;t advocate for strict legislation in this area. The only legislation I think I would back is mandatory information disclosure on install. EULAs are important and it is to detriment of the consumer that we agree to terms we aren&#x27;t aware of. Still, if there&#x27;s an opt out toggle buried somewhere, then the company is aware someone wants to do so.<p>How we decide what information is important to consumers is debatable, but consumers can&#x27;t make informed decisions if they don&#x27;t have the information available or are not presented a choice. If information isn&#x27;t provided by primary sources, many of whom would rather not provide it in an easily digestible manner, then it&#x27;s a guessing game. Things like applying whack-a-mole patches to fix the shortcomings post-install is essentially plugging a sponge boat blindfolded. Even grouped settings toggles in a customer-fronting GUI can be broken out and flipped on individually without your explicit approval tomorrow so your Windows Firewall IP hack is just that, a well-meaning, but messy and temporary hack.<p>I&#x27;m a firm supporter of &quot;vote with your dollar&quot;, however I think voting with your voice is also important. If you&#x27;re unhappy with something a company is doing, shoot an email or call someone if possible and explain why you&#x27;re not using their product. Hell, even and maybe especially if you are a customer, let them know you&#x27;re not happy about a policy. Just like in the public sphere, private companies don&#x27;t know whether you&#x27;re an ideological abstainer or simply someone they haven&#x27;t advertised hard enough to yet. Part of this problem is due to companies knowing full well they&#x27;re acting against the consumers, but consumers often shut up and move along silently after getting their wallets out. I&#x27;ve emailed Microsoft multiple times about their policies on binding arbitration, their dark patterns and privacy policies. I may not be a customer, but they sure as hell know why.