[News] NVIDIA Telemetry Spooks Privacy-sensitive Users [Update: Nvidia Statement]

[StyM]

https://www.techpowerup.com/227598/n...-to-disable-it

Over the past few versions of NVIDIA GeForce drivers, the company has been bundling a telemetry tool that is enabled by default, auto-runs on Windows startup by default, and doesn't appear in the list of things you can choose not to install, when doing a custom-installation with NVIDIA GeForce driver installers. Very little is known about this new Telemetry component. For all we know, it could be a means for NVIDIA to collect crash-reports that help it improve its drivers down the line. Not everyone is convinced with this explanation.

Spanning across three separate startup tasks (a bit much for a crash reporter?), Telemetry is allegedly a means for NVIDIA to send data "back and forth." Users that are the privacy equivalent of germ-freaks might see this as a means for NVIDIA to spy on its users, for a plethora of data, such as usage patterns, etc. MajorGeeks posted a brief tutorial on how to disable Telemetry (and other bloatware included in NVIDIA drivers), using Sysinternals, but you can use Task Manager, msconfig, or Registry Editor to disable these as well.

[drmrlordx]

I'm surprised nobody here is talking about this problem. It has users spooked and/or fighting mad on some other forums.

Nvidia wants to spy on its users, and not just the ones using GFE.

[Tim]

I'm surprised nobody here is talking about this problem. It has users spooked and/or fighting mad on some other forums.

Nvidia wants to spy on its users, and not just the ones using GFE.

Privacy equivalent of germ-freaks in action ^

Perfectly happy with crash and telemetry information being send to make drivers and ultimately games better. In all honesty it would be better if they give you an option to opt-out or perhaps be a little clearer on what information is being send but not much point in being paranoid about your entire life history being sent to the boffins at nvidia.

[zanzabar]

Privacy equivalent of germ-freaks in action ^

Perfectly happy with crash and telemetry information being send to make drivers and ultimately games better. In all honesty it would be better if they give you an option to opt-out or perhaps be a little clearer on what information is being send but not much point in being paranoid about your entire life history being sent to the boffins at nvidia.

that isnt what they are tracking now, they are tracking dns, web site use if it uses gpu acceleration, media file names/locations, usage time on games and apps, and they are using user identifiable information like external ip, mac, and other identifiable info that they directly sell to marketing groups and others.

[Tim]

that isnt what they are tracking now, they are tracking dns, web site use if it uses gpu acceleration, media file names/locations, usage time on games and apps, and they are using user identifiable information like external ip, mac, and other identifiable info that they directly sell to marketing groups and others.

Link please.

[zanzabar]

Link please.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/co...s_how/d9nf33j/

same terms they use on the mobile side that they do that.

[kromosto]

Actually i am surrendered. Everyone is collecting something from us, if it is legal or not. Two choices left just give up or don't connect your computer to internet. I choose to give up.

[StyM]

https://forums.geforce.com/default/t...-great-hit-/2/

GeForce Experience collects data to improve the application experience; this includes crash and bug reports as well as system information needed to deliver the correct drivers and optimal settings. NVIDIA does not share any personally identifiable information collected by GeForce Experience outside the company. NVIDIA may share aggregate-level data with select partners, but does not share user-level data. The nature of the information collected has remained consistent since the introduction of GeForce Experience 1.0. The change with GeForce Experience 3.0 is that this error reporting and data collection is now being done in real-time.

All of this information is included in the EULA and the FAQ posted on GeForce.com:

http://www.geforce.com/geforce-experience/faq