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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

3 clusters · 4 sources · 32 days · First seen · Last updated

Windows 11 privacy and data collection concerns

Overview

Following allegations on social media that a Windows 11 background component known as ‘whesvc’ was spying on users by transmitting CPU, temperature, and battery data every 15 minutes, Microsoft issued a denial. The company clarified that the ‘Windows Health and Optimized Experiences’ service was introduced in 2025 to capture performance diagnostics during system slowdowns. Microsoft stated that data is stored locally and is only transmitted if a user voluntarily submits a report via the Feedback Hub.

Microsoft vice-president Scott Hanselman emphasized that the component does not record screens or transmit information without consent, serving instead as a diagnostic tool for stability.

In response to privacy concerns, the software utility ‘DoNotSpy11’ has emerged to provide users with centralized control over scattered privacy settings. The tool allows users to limit telemetry, disable tracking, and deactivate features that transmit information to Microsoft, such as data entered in the Edge browser. Recommended configurations within the utility include resetting the Advertising ID, blocking camera and microphone access, and disabling the activity feed to prevent the storage of local history. To maintain system stability during these configuration changes, the software includes a feature to create a system restore point.

Entities

Microsoft · DoNotSpy11 · Windows 11 · Edge · whesvc

Timeline

  1. 7 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    DoNotSpy11 software aims to limit Microsoft data collection in Windows

    The DoNotSpy11 program offers tools to restrict Microsoft's data collection in Windows by managing privacy settings, including camera, microphone, and advertising ID access.

  2. 10 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    DoNotSpy11 utility aims to enhance Windows 11 privacy

    DoNotSpy11 is a utility designed to help Windows 11 users manage privacy by centralizing settings to limit telemetry and disable data tracking sent to Microsoft.

  3. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 8 sources
    Microsoft denies Windows 11 spying claims about performance service

    Microsoft says the Windows 11 “whesvc” service only logs local performance data for diagnostics and does not spy on users, countering social‑media rumors of 15‑minute data uploads.

Sources

komputer.dk · komputer.no · pctidningen.se · tvsyd.dk

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history