Microsoft
You think Google and Meta are bad when it comes to data collection? Microsoft is just as bad—maybe worse. You might think of it as just the company behind Windows and Office, but in reality, Microsoft is a massive data-collection empire that’s deeply embedded into your personal and professional life.
Every time you boot up Windows, use Office 365, search with Bing, store files on OneDrive, or even send messages on LinkedIn, Microsoft is tracking you. And here’s the kicker: Microsoft was the first company to join PRISM, the NSA’s mass surveillance program.
Yeah, Microsoft isn’t just collecting your data for ads—they’re working directly with government surveillance programs to hand over user data on a global scale.
Microsoft products are everywhere. That means they have their hands in almost every aspect of your digital life.
The Operating System That Spies on You
You boot up your PC, check your emails, browse the web, and think everything’s cool. But Microsoft is logging almost everything you do.
Microsoft collects system diagnostics, app usage, and even how you interact with files and folders— even when you try to disable telemetry.
Windows records what you type when using Cortana, Windows Search, and Edge, claiming it’s to “improve user experience.”
Windows 11 forces you to sign in with a Microsoft account, meaning your device activity, browsing history, and app usage get linked to your profile.
Microsoft pushes OneDrive hard—so your documents, settings, and even clipboard data are constantly uploaded to Microsoft’s servers.
Microsoft says this data helps improve security and performance. But what they don’t talk about is how this data is also used to build profiles on you and can be handed over to authorities upon request.
Microsoft Office 365
Think Office 365 is just for writing documents and making spreadsheets? Think again.
Microsoft logs every document edit you make. Every keystroke, every version of a document—it’s all tracked.
AI-powered scanning automatically analyzes your files for “policy violations” and can flag content even if it’s stored privately.
Cloud integration means Microsoft has access to your business and personal documents—even if you didn’t ask for it.
Using Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint online? Microsoft is watching everything you do in real time.
Bing & Edge
Google Search is notorious for tracking your searches, but did you know Bing does the exact same thing?
Every search you make on Bing is stored and linked to your Microsoft account.
Edge syncs your browsing history, autofill data, and saved passwords to Microsoft servers by default.
Windows Search sends your local search queries to Bing unless you turn it off manually.
Microsoft might not dominate search like Google, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t just as invested in tracking what you do online.
Microsoft and PRISM
In 2013, Edward Snowden leaked top-secret NSA documents revealing that Microsoft was the first company to join PRISM, a mass surveillance program allowing the NSA to collect user data from major tech companies.
PRISM allowed the NSA, FBI, and CIA to access emails, video calls, messages, and cloud-stored data directly from Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Apple, and others.
Leaked documents showed that Microsoft worked with the NSA to bypass encryption on services like Outlook and Skype, allowing real-time surveillance of messages and video calls.
Even after PRISM was exposed, Microsoft continued its deep collaboration with US intelligence agencies, providing tools and cloud services that assist in mass surveillance.
This means that any data stored on Microsoft servers could be accessed by US intelligence agencies—even if you live outside the US.
What Microsoft Does With Your Data
Microsoft’s business model isn’t just about selling software—it’s about turning user data into profit.
Microsoft builds detailed user profiles, tracking your work habits, communication patterns, interests, and online behavior. This data is used to power Microsoft Advertising, delivering highly targeted ads across Bing, LinkedIn, Xbox, and other Microsoft services.
Ever noticed that after searching for something on Bing, you see ads for it in Outlook or LinkedIn? That’s Microsoft’s ad targeting system in action, fueled by your personal and professional data.
But it’s not just about ads—Microsoft shares data with third parties, including law enforcement and intelligence agencies. If the government requests your emails, documents, or search history, Microsoft can hand it over—and in many cases, you won’t even know.
And because Microsoft controls enterprise and cloud computing through Azure, it has even more access to sensitive business and government data—a level of reach that even Google and Meta struggle to match.
Microsoft’s dominance over operating systems, office productivity tools, and cloud infrastructure means avoiding its data collection is nearly impossible—unless you take active steps to remove it from your life.
Microsoft Embeds Itself into Every Industry
While Google and Meta dominate consumer data collection, Microsoft has positioned itself as the go-to provider for businesses, governments, and schools.
Windows is the default operating system for most organizations. Office 365 is used in corporate environments, education, and government agencies. Azure runs critical cloud infrastructure for businesses, hospitals, and public services.
Because of this deep integration, Microsoft collects sensitive business and institutional data—not just personal data. That means emails, financial records, internal documents, government files, and private corporate communications could all be accessible to Microsoft.
And because Microsoft prioritizes cloud-based services, more businesses are forced to store their sensitive data on Microsoft’s servers rather than keeping it on their own.
Use a local Windows account instead of linking to a Microsoft account.
While Google and Meta get most of the attention for privacy violations, Microsoft operates a massive surveillance empire of its own—just with less publicity.
Its deep integration into operating systems, business software, and cloud services makes it one of the most powerful data collectors in the world.
Microsoft’s collaboration with PRISM proves that it doesn’t just track data for ads—it actively works with intelligence agencies to provide backdoor access to its services.
If you value privacy, it’s time to start moving away from Microsoft’s ecosystem. Because just like Google and Meta, Microsoft isn’t just a software company—it’s a data company
Apple
Apple wants you to believe they’re the good guys. They run ads about how iPhones protect your privacy, they say ”What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone,” and they call out Google and Facebook for tracking you. But here’s the truth—Apple is tracking you too. They just do it quietly.
Sure, Apple isn’t as aggressive with ads as Google. They don’t rely on selling your personal data like Meta. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t collecting massive amounts of it. They’ve just convinced people that paying a premium for Apple devices somehow makes them immune to surveillance.
It’s all marketing. Because when you really dig into Apple’s data collection, it’s clear—they know just as much about you as Google does.
And if you think Apple fights for privacy, think again. They were a key player in PRISM, the NSA’s mass surveillance program, and they’ve handed over data to governments more times than they’d like to admit..
Apple acts like they don’t track you. But their own services prove otherwise.
iCloud
Apple encourages you to back up everything to iCloud—your messages, your contacts, your photos, even your passwords. Sounds convenient, right? But once your data is in iCloud, Apple has access to it.
Here’s what they don’t tell you: iCloud backups aren’t end-to-end encrypted. That means Apple holds the encryption keys, not you. So when law enforcement or intelligence agencies come knocking, Apple can hand over your data with zero resistance.
This has already happened multiple times. In 2016, Apple handed over a suspect’s iCloud backup to the FBI while publicly claiming they wouldn’t unlock iPhones. They made a big deal about “standing up for privacy,” but in reality, they didn’t have to—because most people’s data is already backed up to iCloud, which Apple controls.
And it’s not just the U.S. Apple moved Chinese users’ iCloud data to government-controlled servers, giving Chinese authorities full access to private user data. Apple even removed encryption protections to comply with Chinese law.
They talk about privacy, but when it comes down to it, they follow the money.
iMessage. Encrypted? Yes. Private? Not Really.
Apple loves to say iMessage is secure and end-to-end encrypted. That’s only half true.
Here’s the problem: if you back up your iMessages to iCloud, they’re no longer private. That encryption? Gone. Apple can access and decrypt them anytime.
Apple also stores iMessage metadata—which means they know who you talk to, when, and how often. And they’ve handed over iMessage metadata to law enforcement before.
So sure, your messages are encrypted when they’re sent. But if you’re using iCloud backups, Apple still has a way in.
Siri
If you think Siri is just sitting there waiting for you to say ”Hey Siri,” think again. Every time you use Siri, Apple records your voice and sends it to their servers for analysis.
And here’s where it gets bad—Apple was caught sending private Siri voice recordings to human contractors. Some of those recordings included personal conversations, medical discussions, and even bedroom activity.
Apple apologized and said they’d stop, but let’s be real—the damage was done. And do you really believe a trillion-dollar company suddenly stopped listening?
Apple Pay
Apple says Apple Pay is private. And while it does hide your actual card number, Apple still tracks your purchases, locations, and payment history.
They know where you shop, how much you spend, and what kinds of products you buy. And if you use Apple Wallet for transit or event tickets, they’re tracking that too.
Combine that with iCloud, Siri, and iMessage tracking, and Apple has a detailed picture of your life—what you say, where you go, and even how you spend your money.
Apple and PRISM:
Now for the part Apple doesn’t want you to know.
In 2013, Edward Snowden leaked top-secret NSA documents exposing PRISM, a mass surveillance program that allowed U.S. intelligence agencies to collect private data from major tech companies.
Guess who was one of the key players? Apple.
Apple joined PRISM in 2012, meaning they gave the NSA access to iCloud-stored emails, messages, contacts, and files.
That’s right—while Apple was marketing privacy to the public, they were handing over user data to the U.S. government in secret.
And even after PRISM was exposed, Apple continued working with law enforcement agencies worldwide. Their own transparency reports show they regularly hand over user data when requested.
They want you to believe they ”fight for privacy,” but their actions say otherwise.
What Apple Does With Your Data
Apple’s data collection is different from Google’s. Google wants ad revenue, Apple wants ecosystem lock-in.
Your App Store searches, purchases, and downloads are tracked and used for targeted ads inside Apple apps.
Your location data is logged to make personalized recommendations in Maps, Siri, and Apple News.
Your device usage is analyzed to ”improve services,” which means Apple is studying how you use your iPhone to influence your behavior.
Apple also hands over user data to governments—in 2022 alone, they received over 100,000 government data requests and complied with the majority.
So while Apple isn’t selling your data to advertisers like Google, they’re still using it to make you more dependent on their ecosystem—and handing it over when authorities ask.
If you use an iPhone or Mac, Apple is already tracking you. But you can limit their reach.
If you’re serious about privacy, consider switching to GrapheneOS, /e/OS, or a de-Googled Android device like the Fairphone.
Apple’s entire brand is built on the illusion of privacy. They want you to believe that paying more for an iPhone means you’re not being tracked like Android users.
But in reality, Apple collects massive amounts of data, complies with government surveillance programs, and locks users into their ecosystem to ensure they can’t escape.
Their iCloud backups, Siri recordings, and App Store tracking prove they’re not much different from Google or Microsoft.
And their compliance with PRISM and Chinese data laws shows that when governments come knocking, Apple hands over user data without much resistance.
If you truly care about privacy, Apple is not your friend.