PSA: Intel Graphics Drivers Now Collect Telemetry By Default

calm.like.a.bomb@lemmy.dbzer0.com to Technology@beehaw.org – 270 points –
PSA: Intel Graphics Drivers Now Collect Telemetry By Default
techpowerup.com

Intel graphic drivers collect Telemetry By default in windows.

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They collect:

The categories of websites you visit, but not the URL itself

The information collected includes categorized web browsing history that shows how long and how often you visited specific categories of sites (i.e. social media, personal finance, or news). All site visits are classified into one of 30 categories. We do not collect URLs, web pages titles, or user-specific content without explicit permission from you.

Software usage: for example, frequency and duration of application usage such as Intel® Driver & Support Assistant, but not the application content itself such as specific actions or keyboard input.

Feature usage: for example, how much RAM you usually use or your laptop’s average battery life.

Other devices in your computing environment

Includes universal plug and play devices and devices that broadcast information to your computer on a local area network: for example, smart TV model and vendor information, and video streaming devices.

(the emphasis is mine, as is the minor reordering to not hide the browsing behaviour stuff at the bottom)

Yeah that’ll be a no from me there, bud.

categorized web browsing history that shows how long and how often you visited specific categories of sites

Wow. This is not telemetry; this is just data collection for ad targeting or selling to data brokers like Acxiom.

A graphics card driver collecting the categories of websites you visit and the frequency of those visits?

This is some far overreaching BS right there!

I'm usually ok with some data collection to get stats, like memory CPU usage, etc, especially if they are using it to figure out how to make their software more efficient... But this? Hard pass on this. Especially with collection of other devices on the lan. Wtf Intel?

They are just trying to scam data to resell. We need laws to restrict big tech and their deeply unethical obsession with hiding trackers. They are legitimately selling out their customers and relying on near monopolies to force compliance.