The Register Small MS DVD privacy invasion, not many dead
By John Lettice
Posted: 21/02/2002 at 12:59 GMT


Windows Media Player 'phones home' when you're watching DVDs, but whether or not this is either a surprise or a serious privacy issues kind of depends on your point of view. Security consultant Richard Smith thinks it is, and documents what WMP does, and the data it sends.

It contacts a Microsoft server to get title and chapter information about the DVD, which is snooping if you look at it one way, and a mechanism for delivering handy context-based services if you look at it another.

It also (and this is the first serious bit, if there is one) identifies your player uniquely, so Microsoft knows who you are, and what you like to watch. The other serious bit is that the relevant Microsoft privacy policy did not actually mention this until the matter was drawn to Microsoft's attention. So not only was Microsoft snooping on you, but it was also being sneaky about it.