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In yet another reason never to use Windows 8, the German government is now saying they have deep suspicions about Microsoft's Windows 8 program on PCs and tablets as they've found what looks like a back door that can be accessed by Microsoft, NSA whoever.

In worst case scenario, it could mean all your communications, searches, emails etc are sent to NSA (which they are being anyway), as well as making it possible for Microsoft or the US government to remotely control your PC or tablet, thus shutting it off if they felt like you were a 'threat'.

http://rt.com/news/windows-8-nsa-germany-862/

The story was leaked by German newspaper Zeit Online, this version is the English version translated by RT.
It's all for your safety.
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keeveek: It's all for your safety.
It's not, It's for the Safety of Our Reptilian Overlords :P
I wasn't planing to switch from 7 to 8 anyway, but it's nice of them to provide extra reasons not to.
No, it's the 1 percent of corrupt scumbags against the other 99 percent of us. The military industrial complex gone insane.

I actually look at it like the last throes of a dying empire. Same thing happened with the Roman Empire, the Greek Empire, but......they collapsed anyway. America and its UK puppet is now heading the same way, so things will likely get a lot worse before they get better. More and more spying, more and more restrictions, more and more arrests -- until......they collapse completely and the rest of us can happily get on with our lives :)

I give them 20 years max before the US and the UK implode and China runs the world. The EU will be back up and stronger than ever, and South America will have one of the world's powerhouse economies.

Personally, I can't wait :)
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Aningan: I wasn't planing to switch from 7 to 8 anyway, but it's nice of them to provide extra reasons not to.
Same here. I run Win 7 and will never buy Win 8. My dad, however, did buy a laptop with Win 8, spent an hour fiddling with it, packed it up, returned it to the shop and got his money back. He now has a very nice Win 7 laptop I ordered for him online :)
Post edited August 23, 2013 by Bloodygoodgames
This news is a hoax. The German Federal Office for Information Security clarified this in a statement.
I think it's naive to believe that any operating system developed by bigger U.S. corporation is without a backdoor for U.S. intelligence. Post or pre-Windows 8. Maybe not actively used but possible.
Post edited August 23, 2013 by Mivas
Like I'm gonna believe anything on RT
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Rincewind81: This news is a hoax. The German Federal Office for Information Security clarified this in a statement.
Link ?
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Rincewind81: This news is a hoax. The German Federal Office for Information Security clarified this in a statement.
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silviucc: Link ?
I can only link to german sources:

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/BSI-Trotz-kritischer-Aspekte-keine-Warnung-vor-Windows-8-1940081.html
http://newsticker.sueddeutsche.de/list/id/1485417
http://www.zeit.de/digital/datenschutz/2013-08/bsi-reaktion-windows-8-trusted-computing

and of course the official statement:
https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/Presse2013/Windows_TPM_Pl_21082013.html;jsessionid=5F95A9EB2307BDADF689B6907EA4F378.2_cid359
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Bloodygoodgames: I give them 20 years max before the US and the UK implode and China runs the world.
Personally, I can't wait :)
Yeah, because China doesn't spy, has a wonderful track record with human rights, and cares more about the environment, ect, ect. What a much better world it will be....
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Asbeau: Like I'm gonna believe anything on RT
RT is one of the best news channels, as is AlJazeera and Channel News Asia, as you get information other channels won't dare to report.

I suppose you believe the BBC, who are so far up the UK government's butt they are never coming down. Thought it was hilarious to watch the BBC reporting the other day about Glen Greenwald's partner's illegal arrest, and then backtracking adding "well of course national security should be protected". Total bullshit, but typical BBC believing and reporting on the lies Cameron and his ilk are spewing.

It's sad really. British news channels used to be excellent, but now they are so terrified about reporting anything worthwhile, there are few British sources worth reading or believing. I periodically check The Guardian but now get most of my news at Aljazeera, RT, Der Speigel and El Pais. None of them are perfect, but they're far better than most British news media.

I used to be proud to be British. Not anymore. Can't wait to ditch the nationally for one from an EU country.

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Bloodygoodgames: I give them 20 years max before the US and the UK implode and China runs the world.
Personally, I can't wait :)
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Zoltan999: Yeah, because China doesn't spy, has a wonderful track record with human rights, and cares more about the environment, ect, ect. What a much better world it will be....
Have you been to China?

No, of course you haven't. You just believe everything the US media tells you, as America is absolutely terrified of China as they know they are going to be beaten by them, and pretty soon too. So it's all negative reporting about China in America. Believe me, I witnessed it for 20 years.

China is actually a very interesting country (I've been several times) and, sure, they have environmental problems but they know it and, long-term, they are working on it. America, however, up until the last couple of years, was the world's biggest polluter for decades. Used 25 percent of the world's resources and produced 25 percent of the world's garbage, yet with only 6 percent of the world's population. At least the Chinese have some excuse having over a billion people.

Anyway, I'll take the Chinese any day of the week, over the American government and it's long history of illegal bombings and invasions of other countries - Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, Afganistan, the CIA's illegal overthrowing of a democratically elected Iranian president, blah blah blah. America has done more damage to the world than the Chinese could possibly do in my lifetime.
Post edited August 23, 2013 by Bloodygoodgames
You should put a [rant] tag on topics like this lest anyone should mistake them for serious threads
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Asbeau: You should put a [rant] tag on topics like this lest anyone should mistake them for serious threads
Oh right, because if anyone has anything negative to say about the UK and America, it's a 'rant'. Pity you can't come back with a more intelligent comment but, from what I read from you often, that's pretty much the norm.

Short, sharp sentences that mean nothing, just to prove how 'clever' and 'above it all' you are. Weirdly, you don't seem to be either.
Yeah, great source you got there sport. What's next? Aliens in the attic?

Anyway:

http://www.zeit.de/digital/datenschutz/2013-08/bsi-reaktion-windows-8-trusted-computing

https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/Presse2013/Windows_TPM_Pl_21082013.html;jsessionid=5F95A9EB2307BDADF689B6907EA4F378.2_cid359

Just run it through babelfish
Post edited August 23, 2013 by SimonG