OneDrive automatically backups folders in Windows 11 without users' permissions ( windowsreport.com )

According to the latest reports, Windows 11 has made an independent choice by automatically turning on OneDrive folder backup for Desktop, Pictures, Documents, Music, and Video folders without your permission. This signifies that, whether you approve or not, everything is becoming coordinated with the cloud.

This action from Microsoft fits into a larger pattern where big tech companies cleverly (or not so cleverly) promote their services and subscriptions to users. It isn’t only about Microsoft; there have been instances of Google doing something similar with Google Photos and its storage plans.

Keep an eye on your settings, particularly when you have just finished setting up a new device or updating your operating system. Companies such as Microsoft constantly seek methods to link users with their environments—sometimes without permission.

demonsword ,
@demonsword@lemmy.world avatar

Obligatory just switch to Linux plug

itsgroundhogdayagain ,

Please backup all this copyrighted material

tigeruppercut ,
@tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip avatar

Not sure why these articles are only coming out now. My work bought me a win11 computer a few months ago and I was surprised to learn that the first few things I downloaded to the desktop showed up on my one drive. I don't really use the account I have on it for much, and it was easy enough to turn off in settings but it was still a shock.

Just another invasion of privacy by a giant corpo that none of its users asked for

AnyOldName3 ,
@AnyOldName3@lemmy.world avatar

It's been the default since 2015 when Windows 10 launched, although there was an obvious button to opt out during first-time setup back then which was then respected permanently. It's got gradually less prominent over time, and maybe the article's just doing a really bad job of explaining that it's no longer something where your initial preference is permanent and it'll change back to the default every so often.

dugmeup ,

How does one block this?

archchan ,
@archchan@lemmy.ml avatar

Microsoft is an abusive ex. It will keep abusing you because it knows no other way. You can waste your days trying to fight against it, trying to figure out how to disable and remove whatever new privacy invasive anti-consumer bloat Microsoft decides to roll out that Tuesday.

Or you can leave and switch to Linux and waste time there instead. Tux is all about that respect and is handsome to boot. He might be a bit sensitive and break down rarely so you might need to spare a few to make sure he's ok, but it's nothing a little love can't handle. And he's only going to get better and stronger as he grows. You might even look forward to receiving updates (wow, I know). A stark contrast from your abusive ex.

archomrade ,

It cannot be that profitable to have just a bunch of random data on their servers. I have so much junk and random bullshit on my drives, it would take a week of labor just to clean my shit well enough to use it for AI training and as soon as I got any notification about cloud space being full i'd turn syncing off - i sure as hell wouldn't fork over any money for a subscription. This is such a big bridge to burn, and the server overhead must be massive.... I just don't understand how they could possibly think this is a good business decision.

Idk, maybe i'm just too deep into privacy/FOSS/selfhosting headspace to see things clearly from the normal-consumer standpoint but I just do not understand this. I really wish someone would leek an internal conversation at one of these companies that explains the big-picture strategy with this move.

dantheclamman ,
@dantheclamman@lemmy.world avatar

They're thinking quarterly. Improves OneDrive usage stats. They can also then coerce customers later by saying they're running out of storage. I'm sure some users will pay, thinking they're about to lose family photos and other important data

archomrade ,

I guess... I am still very skeptical the profit margin even if some people do end up paying for the storage. We're talking about petabytes on petabytes of data.... How many people need to pay a cloud subscription fee to pay for the overhead of the servers?

Idk. This is super suss to me but again, I am clearly not the target market for this service so maybe I don't have a firm grasp of the landscape.

MoonManKipper ,

It is shit but it’s easy to turn off.

Link ,

Doesn’t really matter if it is easy to turn off. By that point it is already to late all your files have been uploaded to their server.

frezik ,

Not how that should work. They don't get permission to all that unless I say so.

MoonManKipper ,

Completely agree!

dugmeup ,

How?

MoonManKipper ,

Right click Onedrive Icon, settings, sync and backup, Manage Backup, turn off what ever you don't want backed up. At that point all your desktop / document content will disappear (looks like Microsoft linked the normal and Onedrive folders, which is a useful trick occasionally) so move everything out of Onedrive back into your normal folders

Donut ,

It's telling how you get downvoted, but someone saying the same shit about Apple in this thread gets upvoted.

I hate shitty practices like everybody else, but please keep them to the same standard.

sunzu ,

At this point onedrive can stick a finger in your asshole... And notbing would be done about it!

I got nothing to hide anyway

SpaceNoodle ,

Cool, give me your SSN and bank account numbers

sunzu ,

I don't give my number to no scrubs...

Only to mega corps and Catholic clergy ;)

zippythezigzag ,

Thats okay, bad actors are already coming out with tools to take your info from these new "features". No need for your permission.

sunzu ,

feels a bit "rapey" no?

far_university1990 ,

Would let me watch you take a shit? o.o

Evil_incarnate ,

Sure. That's my kink...

sunzu ,

Are we doing a Cleveland steamer?

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