Microsoft offers full disclosure amid fears over Kinect surveillance
With this clarification, Microsoft is promising that it is not technically possible for security agencies and state officials to access images of players.
The company also clarified that, while game software can read player expressions and respond accordingly, that data is not sent to Microsoft.
"It stays on the console and is destroyed once your session ends," the company claimed.
Microsoft has come under significant scrutiny regarding its privacy policies. In July it was discovered that the corporation supplied email and Skype details to the NSA. Microsoft said it was legally bound to not discuss the matter openly.
Doubts and suspicions over Microsoft's handling of personal data has not abated. Late in September, a former Microsoft privacy adviser said he no longer trusts the company after reading about the NSA mass-surveillance operation.
Days later it was revealed that Microsoft handed over the personal information of more than a thousand customers to Australian government agents in the first half of 2013.
In response, Microsoft has launched a privacy policy disclosure web page, detailing its rules and limitations.
Standout Xbox privacy policies include:
Players can turn Kinect off at any time.
When Kinect is used with certain games and apps, a user's skeletal movements can be used to estimate exercise stats. Microsoft says "you can decide how your stats are managed and whether they are shared".
Kinect's facial-numeric identifiers, as described above, "stays on the console and is not shared with anyone".
Microsoft can share user info "with companies we've hired to provide services on our behalf". Those companies must pledge to keep the information confidential.
Microsoft can share user info "to comply with the law or respond to legal process or lawful requests, including from law enforcement and government agencies"
Aside from these exceptions, the company "will not disclose your personal information to a third party without your consent".
For games that enable in-game communications, the game publisher may also have access to the content of in-game communications when users are signed into their account with the publisher.
Xbox applications built by partner companies, from Netflix to Sky, have their own separate terms and conditions with regards to privacy.
Microsoft will read player data to serve better targeted advertisements, which users can opt out of.
If customers link their Microsoft account with a partner company, "Microsoft may share limited account information with that company". That information may include name, address, email and date of birth, but not credit card or other payment information.
Xbox applications using Windows Phone that require location data "will only collect and store the approximate location of your phone"
Payment data is stored and used for "detection and prevention of fraud". In support of these uses, "Microsoft may share your payment data with banks and other entities that process payment transactions or other financial services, and for fraud prevention and credit risk reduction."
Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum
Source: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/436360/microsoft-offers-full-disclosure-amid-fears-over-kinect-surveillance/
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Comments
TomorrowLandPosted:
KatsumiAt the minute this scheme is strictly rumoured to be Australia and America. Not the UK, the rest of Europe, Asia etciN1NJA Why on earth are they giving user info to Australians? Dafuq are they doing with it?
Keeping tabs on people i guess. They could also be using it for research etc.
HDITeRRoRiZeIPosted:
Honestly people are still going on about this shit? So what. Even if they managed to build an image, what are they going to do? Build an alien out of your face? People are being rediculous.
BalloonsPosted:
Their is a camera on my laptop, but there is a light next to it telling me if it's on or not so I AINT GOT NO WORRIES
dudeydPosted:
everyone saying "there is cameras on your laptops and mobile phones"...fair enough. But there hasen't been any accusations that our data has been sent in to governments which store your personal date has there when it comes to phones, unlike the Microsoft. I like to keep my shit private thank you. Plus I played my Kinect 3 times in the 2 years ive had it. its wank. speaking of wank, Microsoft will be enjoying watching you do that aswell haha.
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