Microsoft Office 365: Difference between revisions
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The only editions of the Microsoft 365 desktop apps that expose controls over the amount of telemetry data they regularly transmit back to Microsoft are the highly-priced "E" (Enterprise) or the Microsoft 365 for Education plans that require a minimum purchase of 300 or more individual user licenses; users of all other tiers are not furnished with an opt-out control, as was possible in previous years. Even for those volume-licensed editions with the controls, no option is provided to fully deactivate the sharing of telemetry data; moreover, the controls they have access to are configured at the lowest user privacy level by default. | The only editions of the Microsoft 365 desktop apps that expose controls over the amount of telemetry data they regularly transmit back to Microsoft are the highly-priced "E" (Enterprise) or the Microsoft 365 for Education plans that require a minimum purchase of 300 or more individual user licenses; users of all other tiers are not furnished with an opt-out control, as was possible in previous years. Even for those volume-licensed editions with the controls, no option is provided to fully deactivate the sharing of telemetry data; moreover, the controls they have access to are configured at the lowest user privacy level by default. | ||
Office transmits data on an estimated 23,000–25,000 types of events (other reports related to the German BSI audit identified over 30,000 types of events) to Microsoft.<ref name="nas">{{Cite web |last=Nas |first=Sjoera |title=Impact assessment shows privacy risks Microsoft Office ProPlus Enterprise |url=https://www.privacycompany.eu/blog/impact-assessment-shows-privacy-risks-microsoft-office-proplus-enterprise |website=Privacy Company |date=13 Nov 2018 |access-date=10 Apr 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240414110632if_/https://www.privacycompany.eu/blog/impact-assessment-shows-privacy-risks-microsoft-office-proplus-enterprise |archive-date=14 Apr 2024}}</ref> Microsoft can adjust the level of detail transmitted remotely, even to the point of recording every single keystroke and mouse event as a log to be uploaded to Microsoft servers in the background, with no notice to the user. | |||
Experts in computing security now generally advise all users that it cannot reasonably be assumed that any data entered into or any interaction with a Microsoft 365 application will remain private unless the system is "air gapped," or completely disconnected from the internet. This has led to loud concerns about evolving norms regarding user consent, especially given that even highly trusted institutions, such as hospitals, in countries outside the industrialized First World frequently opt to run consumer versions of Microsoft software as a cost-saving measure.{{Citation needed}} | Experts in computing security now generally advise all users that it cannot reasonably be assumed that any data entered into or any interaction with a Microsoft 365 application will remain private unless the system is "air gapped," or completely disconnected from the internet. This has led to loud concerns about evolving norms regarding user consent, especially given that even highly trusted institutions, such as hospitals, in countries outside the industrialized First World frequently opt to run consumer versions of Microsoft software as a cost-saving measure.{{Citation needed}} | ||
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====Obfuscation of local storage in favor of OneDrive==== | ====Obfuscation of local storage in favor of OneDrive==== | ||
Since the introduction of Office 365, saving files locally has become more difficult due to Microsoft's preference for [[OneDrive]], its cloud-based storage service. When saving a file previously, the user would encounter a save dialog with a pop-up to browse their computer and choose a file storage location. This is now multiple clicks away, making it harder to avoid saving the file on OneDrive.{{ | Since the introduction of Office 365, saving files locally has become more difficult due to Microsoft's preference for [[OneDrive]], its cloud-based storage service. When saving a file previously, the user would encounter a save dialog with a pop-up to browse their computer and choose a file storage location. This is now multiple clicks away, making it harder to avoid saving the file on OneDrive.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Paul |last=Thurrott |date=26 Jan 2019 |title=Office 365 to Use OneDrive as Default Save Location Going Forward |url=https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/office-365/198405/office-365-to-use-onedrive-as-default-save-location-going-forward |url-status=live |website=thurrott.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260622084651/https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/office-365/198405/office-365-to-use-onedrive-as-default-save-location-going-forward |archive-date=22 Jun 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 Oct 2025 |first=Zac |last=Bowden |title=Word is changing forever—your new documents will now live in the cloud by default |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-office/microsoft-is-making-word-automatically-save-new-documents-to-onedrive-by-default |url-status=live |website=Windows Central |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260622084849/https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-office/microsoft-is-making-word-automatically-save-new-documents-to-onedrive-by-default |archive-date=22 Jun 2026}}</ref> | ||
Files on one's computer are also automatically uploaded to OneDrive by default, causing numerous issues (such as synchronization errors and duplicate files). Turning off this automatic backup is not user-friendly, as the user must navigate multiple settings to disable this option. | Files on one's computer are also automatically uploaded to OneDrive by default, causing numerous issues (such as synchronization errors and duplicate files). Turning off this automatic backup is not user-friendly, as the user must navigate multiple settings to disable this option. | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
==External links== | |||
*[https://www.bsi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/BSI/Publikationen/Studien/Office_Telemetrie/Office_Telemetrie.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=5 Microsoft Office Telemetry Analysis Report] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260127060644/https://www.bsi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/BSI/Publikationen/Studien/Office_Telemetrie/Office_Telemetrie.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=5 archived]) | |||
[[Category:Microsoft Office]] | [[Category:Microsoft Office]] | ||
[[Category:Subscription-based services]] | [[Category:Subscription-based services]] | ||