Anyone got this Microsoft Term of Use mail ?

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Your Services Agreement made clearer
Hello,

You’re receiving this email because we are updating the Microsoft Services Agreement, which applies to one or more Microsoft products or services you use. We’re making these updates to clarify our terms and ensure that they remain transparent for you, as well as to cover new Microsoft products, services and features.

The Microsoft Services Agreement is an agreement between you and Microsoft (or one of its affiliates) that governs your use of Microsoft consumer online products and services.

You can read the entire Microsoft Services Agreement here. You can also learn more about these updates on our FAQ page here, including a summary of the most notable changes. The updates to the Microsoft Services Agreement will take effect on September 30, 2024. If you continue to use our products and services on or after September 30, 2024, you are agreeing to the updated Microsoft Services Agreement.

If you do not agree, you can choose to discontinue using the products and services, and close your Microsoft account before these terms become effective. If you are a parent or guardian, you are responsible for your child’s or teenager’s use of Microsoft products and services, including purchases.

Thank you for using Microsoft products and services.

Microsoft Services Agreement >  
Microsoft Privacy Statement >  
Frequently Asked Questions >

This email was sent from an unmonitored mailbox.

Privacy Statement

Microsoft Corporation, O‍ne Mi‍crosoft Wa‍y, Redm‍ond, WA 98052 U‍SA

https://www.microsoft.com/en/servicesagreement/upcoming-faq

https://www.microsoft.com/en/servicesagreement/upcoming-updates

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Lars220

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Alex5723 wrote:

Anyone got this Microsoft Term of Use mail ?

Yep, and it’s not the first time, likely won’t be the last.

It’s one of those CYA things; “Nobody told me about this!!!”

“Yes, we sent you an email.”

“If you do not agree, you can choose to discontinue using the products and services, and close your Microsoft account before these terms become effective.“

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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wavy, Lars220, Alex5723

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Yep. I received it.

Human, who sports only naturally-occurring DNA ~ oneironaut ~ broadcaster

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I got one VERY simialr from my Synology NAS tonight! Seems to me terms of use cannot be changed after you have agreed to terms and started using the device/software.  Can’t be right.

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Remember, you DO NOT own the product/service, you’ve simply been given a license to use it.

And, while I haven’t seen this particular message from Microsoft, I have received numerous such notifications over the years for various different products/services I use (including from financial institutions) that have included a statement “very” similar to this one.

If you do not agree, you can choose to discontinue using the products and services

While it may be despicable, it’s perfectly legal for a product/service provider to change their license terms anytime they want and then require users to agree to the new terms if they want to continue using the product/service exactly like this.

 

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NaNoNyMouse, Alex5723

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But what does it changes ? What are the modifications ? Is it meaningless or crucial ?

If anyone that knows the current Terms of use and read the new one please enlight us !

Thank you, good day.

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The links from the initial post answer all those questions!

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Here’s a summary of the key points from the updated Microsoft Services Agreement that will take effect on September 30, 2024:

1. Privacy: Microsoft values your privacy. The Privacy Statement outlines how your data is collected, used, and processed. By agreeing to the Terms, you consent to Microsoft’s handling of your content and data as described in the Privacy Statement<sup class=”citation-sup”>1</sup>.
2. Your Content: When you share content using Microsoft services, others may use it worldwide without compensation. You retain ownership of your content, and Microsoft does not claim any rights to it. However, by using the services, you grant Microsoft a license to use your content for necessary purposes<sup class=”citation-sup”>1</sup>.

Remember, if you continue using Microsoft products and services after September 30, 2024, you’ll be agreeing to these updated terms. If you don’t agree, you can choose to discontinue using the services and close your Microsoft account before that date

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I’ve gotten the email at least twice now (last time on 2024-08-28).

I managed to download the “Microsoft Privacy Statement (Last Updated: August 2024).”
For those who care, the full document is 190 pages long

I’m sick-and-tired of all this you’re accepting all the new terms (in this case AI seems to be a big focus) yada, yada,yada, if you continue to use the computer and software you’ve paid for nonsense.

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Cybertooth

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And here is my highly distilled version of MS terms “We do what we like with anything you post, upload or otherwise make available to or use in connection with our services.  Take it or leave it.”

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Did you read it?

vi. Ownership of Content. Microsoft doesn’t claim ownership of any content you provide, post, input, or submit to or receive from the AI services (including feedback and suggestions).

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Yes I did. And while Microsoft doesn’t claim to own the content the terms to which users agree give it broad discretion to use that content anyway it deems necessary. Did you read everything?

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EricB wrote:

And while Microsoft doesn’t claim to own the content the terms to which users agree give it broad discretion to use that content anyway it deems necessary.

“broad discretion to use that content anyway it deems necessary” is not true.

Which section do you think says that?

What do you really think Microsoft is going to do with your content?

(By the way, apart from the extra paragraph about AI services I quoted earlier, nothing about user content has changed in years.)

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I”d say that the following covers it quite clearly.

Section 2b. (Emphasis added)

“To the extent necessary to provide the Services to you and others, to protect you and the Services, and to improve Microsoft products and services, you grant to Microsoft a worldwide and royalty-free intellectual property license to use Your Content, for example, to make copies of, retain, transmit, reformat, display, and distribute via communication tools Your Content on the Services. If you publish Your Content in areas of the Service where it is available broadly online without restrictions, Your Content may appear in demonstrations or materials that promote the Service. Some of the Services are supported by advertising. Controls for how Microsoft personalizes advertising are available at https://choice.live.com (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=286759). We do not use what you say in email, chat, video calls or voice mail, or your documents, photos or other personal files, to target advertising to you. Our advertising policies are covered in detail in the Privacy Statement.”

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EricB wrote:

I”d say that the following covers it quite clearly.

Section 2b. (Emphasis added)

“To the extent necessary to provide the Services to you and others, to protect you and the Services, and to improve Microsoft products and services, you grant to Microsoft a worldwide and royalty-free intellectual property license to use Your Content, for example, to make copies of, retain, transmit, reformat, display, and distribute via communication tools Your Content on the Services.

The bolded part does not equate to “anyway it deems necessary”.

Section 2b has not been changed in the last nine years.

What do you fear Microsoft will do with your content?

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Looks to me that is what Microsoft means, even it doesn’t use those exact (“anyway it deems necessary”) words.

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Bob99, EricB, Cybertooth

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“… to improve Microsoft products and services…” is so vague it could mean anything.

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b wrote:

The bolded part does not equate to “anyway it deems necessary”

Well, in my opinion it does. So let’s agree to disagree.

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b wrote:

What do you fear Microsoft will do with your content?

Submit my bank accounts transactions to the IRS like it did in India.

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Alex5723 wrote:

b wrote:

What do you fear Microsoft will do with your content?

Submit my bank accounts transactions to the IRS like it did in India.

That was fake news when you posted it a year ago, just as it was when “reported” six years ago:

b wrote:

Did you really struggle to find that wild story from five years ago about alleged events from nine years ago? It was fake news even then:
…
Setting the record straight on Microsoft’s commitment to protecting our customers’ data

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b wrote:

Setting the record straight on Microsoft’s commitment to protecting our customers’ data

Sorry but this is B*. Microsoft hasn’t denied the allegations.

There is no “Microsoft didn’t share Indian customer data with the US government, specifically with US intelligence agencies”..

Instead Microsoft dodge the bullet by “To be clear, Microsoft does not provide any government with direct, unfettered access to customer data. “…

No one claimed that Microsoft gave US government, specifically US intelligence agencies direct access to Indian bank accounts.

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From the original article (Nov 05, 2018):

Microsoft will only share the bank customers’ data if the order was issued by the government of India or an Indian court.
…
Microsoft never provides customer data unless we receive a legally valid warrant, order or subpoena about specific accounts or individual identifiers. If data is provided, it is done only after a thorough legal review to check whether the request is appropriate and consistent with the rule of law and Microsoft’s principles.

For commercial customers, absent extraordinary circumstances, Microsoft redirects governments to seek data directly from them and informs the commercial entity when any government seeks its data.

The IRS is not a US intelligence agency, and was never mentioned in the first place.

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