Microsoft Admits XP Media Player Spies on Users

[Whoosh25]

How come this doesn't surprise me!
Well at least they finally admit it...

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has confirmed that the Windows XP version of its Windows Media Player is programmed to track which CDs users listen to and which DVDs they watch. The company also has altered its privacy statement to admit that its player software tracks DVD content, which was not previously mentioned.

more:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nf/20020222/tc_nf/16455

[Greg12]

and that's why i have never upgraded some 6.4

[Whoosh25]

Damn it....now they know how much porn I watch !!!...LOL

[Gimmie]

peekin out the windows for the cops
movies what movies??

[homerpez]

Missing from the article (and this figures, doesn't it)...

The name and location of this log file, so it can be deleted...

I don't want ANOTHER MS backdoor into my life! Even if this one is fairly harmless/useless...

[tigerwolf]

If there is a door opened to send info out, then that same door is probably accessible for access in.

I've seen and blocked activity from wm. It tries sending data out to a server even when its not being used. Given its periodically, but it does occur.

I always think of the movie "anti-trust", Nirv has been putting a backdoor for synapase in every OS.

I would imagine there are a couple places that you could look to try and stop it. I'd start in the registry first. I'm wondering if there isn't a persay easter egg menu in wm that will allow you to shut it off.

well I best head to bed.

[TheInformer]

I agree with Greg12 - why "upgrade" from media player v6.4?

Media Player v6.4 plays about everything (including DVDs, with a registry hack), isn't a resource hog, and doesn't report back to big brother M$ whenever it's used.

[TheInformer]

Hehe sorry for the double reply, but here goes.

Why would anyone of sound mind be surprised that Microsoft has hooks in their software to report back to them what you are doing? Interesting how this works with WinXP's firewall....remember that the firewall doesn't monitor outgoing information, only incoming. If outgoing info were monitored, every WinXP user would know what Microsoft is up to.

On a related thought, I find it somewhat funny that the people who use only M$ software (Internet Explorer, Outlook, etc) get caught by virii of all sorts. In many cases M$ is the default setup of software on commercial boxes sold, and the users never explore the possibility that other software might be better for them than the M$ offerings. Myself? I only use Win98SE and WinXP. All other applications are non-M$. This is not necessarily because I 'hate' Microsoft (or even dislike them), but because these applications work better for me and it limits my vulnerability to virii, trojans, etc.

Just my two cents...

[zzyzzx]

Damn it....now they know how much porn I watch !!!...LOL

I wonder who at Microsoft gets to read all those porn titles?

[leebo]

How do you KNOW 6.4 dosn't spy???

[TheInformer]

leebo: "How do you KNOW 6.4 dosn't spy???"

Point well taken. I haven't read anything about media player v6.4 transmitting any information though. If it did, I'm sure someone would have reported it by now.

[Alvis]

I just tell Zone Alarm not to let it communicate with the internet.

[tigerwolf]

though just as a point, I'm curious with everything intergrated now, what of microsofts products actually uses IE to transmit the info and therefore not requiring the program to communicate directly. Therefore blocking the program does no good. It wouldn't really be that hard, whenever the program is opened it drops the info in a file, then when you open IE it transmits that file as a cookie or etc to the server. Then firewalls like zonealarm wouldn't catch it. Oh then you have it transmit to random servers each time therefore making it harder to block just the server. Oh then whenever you update IE, it gives a new list of servers, so that you have new ones to block. More interesting how many government agencies run on microsoft and are leaking confidential info to microsoft without even knowing it?

LOL.

"Soon my little box will be on countless t.v.'s around the world. Feeding Me Credit Card Numbers, Bank Codes, Sexual Fantasies, & Little White Lies. Into My Head They'll Go, Victory is inevitable.
because if knowledge is power, then a god am I"
Riddler from batman forever.


ttfn,
TW

[devinemi83]

The only data it holds is the info it pulls off the net when it checks what cd you have in it. When you play an audio cd, it looks up its CDDB info. That is all it holds. No link whatso ever with MS. Its like when your computer holds info on what files were recently open,it doesnt send the info.

But alot of people were worried because everyone thought,"oh no, microsoft knows the I watch porn or illegal downloaded movie!!!!"
They dont.

[homerpez]

Still missing is the info on how to delete/remove/modify whatever log file is collecting this...

And setting ZoneAlarm (or other firewall) to block WMP is not as easy as it sounds... Anyone use it to listen to streaming audio stations?

Can't browse the list without internet connectivity... downloads the list off the web...

I don't honestly think the people at M$ have so little to do that they care about reading what everyone is playing (that list would be overwhelming)... more likely is is sticking to tracking CD playing information (for collaborating with the sinister record companies)...

I don't like it, but like I said, probably harmless...

[Mirror_Image]

The CD player in ATI MMC connects to CDDB and keeps a local record (so you don't have to conect again next time you put that CD in).

Music Match Juke Box connects to CDDB and keeps a local record (so you don't have to conect again next time you put that CD in).

Any CD prog worth a bucket of warm spit connects to CDDB and keeps a local record (so you don't have to conect again next time you put that CD in).

i take it few of you kids remember the days when we had to manually enter all the album and song titles in....ah, well.

[therick]

yeah screw M$ right in their arrogant asses. It is funny to talk to people with their MSCEs who say "is there another OS that can do what Windows can do?"...unbelievable...well, now I know why you failed out of a decent C.S. program...you are dumb. Look at some of the court shi*!!! They blatanly destroy competition! I know Sun has a lawsuit peding because of what they did to java...don't get me wrong, I can't stand java, but holy shit you should see some of the things this company does...

sorry, this is what happens when a nerd gets wasted and goes online....

[therick]

oh yeah, and kudos to Baldrick for using php and NOT asp...screw asp and screw microsoft!!!!!

[devinemi83]

Media Player 6.4 is fat and stupid, it doesnt care what you play, the only time it will contact the net is if you listen to streaming video or audio, or if it needs a codec.

I wont come down on all the things microsoft does, I will state I am in MCSD training. I like their technology, but I dont like all their practices. They did kind of push Java out of XP, they didnt include the virtual machine in XP. But you CAN install it, if they really wanted to be SOBs they could have stopped JAVA VM period. Microsoft is just doing what all companies do, they try to kill the competition. All businesses have to do that.After all, we made them what they are.


What MS needs is to be more people friendly, not treat its customers like pirates, or dumbasses. They hate linux and Java because they really are their own company, meaning they dont rely on MS at all.

[leebo]

"screw asp and screw microsoft!!!!!"

Right on!
Lets throw away our PC's and go buy the new Imacs!!!

Err, nevermind.

[d4n13l]

...
sorry, this is what happens when a nerd gets wasted and goes online....

LOL.
Dude, that is so true.
I have destroyed my /. karma in the past, posting when pissed. Either that or I end up playing Half-Life and getting nowhere...

[d4n13l]

oh yeah, and kudos to Baldrick for using php and NOT asp...screw asp and screw microsoft!!!!!

Hell yeah!
And now this forum (not the rest of the site though unfortunately) is back under what it should be - Apache under Linux.
w00t!

[nfl2k2]

I'm taking MCSE next year :P. It sounded very interesting to me so I signed up, only problem is that it goes from 8:00AM - 10:30AM every morning next year when i take it.

[KingJohn]

Watch the future release of the DivX 5 player, it too will do the same "As it did once before"

[mol3000]

so what can we do about this

[Mirror_Image]

Two choices:

1. Stop using the software and/or OpSystems that bother you.

or

2. Stop whining.