By now, most power-users with knowledge of Windows 10 know that it has numerous features that link Microsoft's Windows 10 directly to Microsoft so that it can send data from your computer directly to Microsoft's servers and send back information that you use just to search your computer locally. Microsoft released Windows 10 as a free upgrade because they are trying to now monetize the operating system by learning your computing habits, reading your e-mails, watching your internet history, examining your searches, looking at the programs that you are installing, and so on and so forth. Even in their EULA, they admit that they have the power to take this information and use it to sell it to other companies so that they can target you with custom advertisements for products that you probably don't even want in the first place. Essentially Windows 10 in it's default state has the ability to read and watch everything you do on your computer, and use that data to sell it to other companies in order to target you with advertisements relative to your computer habits.
In my most humble opinion, this is the worst thing that Microsoft has ever done with any of the software that they have ever released. Of course Windows 10 has better features, more power, and better security than the older operating systems that are still in use today, but it comes at a cost...your freedom of complete privacy.
The same company that created the program called SpyBot - Search and Destroy has created a simple utility called Spybot Anti-Beacon that can disable every single piece of telemetry built into Windows 10 that Microsoft can use to target you with advertisements and such and lock your computer down to where Microsoft has essentially no access to any of your files and documents that you would never want anybody to be able to see. If you'd like more information on the breach of privacy that Windows 10 brings to the table, there is a YouTube video available by an ex-Microsoft employee whose name is Jerry Berg (and goes by the internet name Barnacules) that I would strongly urge you to watch. Here is the link to the video:
Disable Windows 10 Spying - Privacy and Security
The program that SpyBot has created is called SpyBot Anti-Beacon and it's a small program that is easily installed onto any Microsoft Windows 10 OS that can instantly disable all telemetry that Microsoft can use to target you with advertisements and read your personanl documents. This is a program that I highly encourage all Windows 10 users to install so that all of your files and such are not able to be transmitted over the internet to Microsoft. I have used it for several months now, and it constantly runs in the background and prevents MS from being able to see anything you do on the internet as well as prevent them from accessing your private documents and such.
Here's the link to the application:
Spybot Anti-Beacon
Lastly, I strongly encourage anybody who actually uses Microsoft Edge as their main browser to consider choosing another browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox because Microsoft Edge bypasses your HOSTS file and can still monitor your browsing habits even with this program installed. I hope that if you are paranoid about your files and documents just like I am that you do some research and maybe even read the Windows 10 EULA because by using the OS you give Microsoft permission to essentially gain access to every single file you have on your hard drives. If you have any questions about the application or what Microsoft has access to that you either post in this thread or do some Google research, and if I can answer any questions about this breach of privacy I will do my very best to answer any questions you might have about Windows 10 and this application.
Cheers,
BadBrent