Downloading software from Microsoft used to be fairly simple in the past. No passport mess, no sales call, no hassles. Now Microsoft requires you to register when you download certain products so you can receive calls from Microsoft or third-party representatives. Here’s something interesting. Try downloading a trial version of Microsoft’s Data Protection Manager here [The updated link for DPM 2010 RTM is available here - Zubair Alexander 7/5/2010]. You must agree to register or else you cannot download the software. Okay, that sounds fine as long as you are given an option to opt-out of e-mails and phone calls, right? Well, not exactly. The registration process gives the following six options for you to check or uncheck.
1. Microsoft may use the e-mail address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
2. Microsoft Partners may use the e-mail address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
3. Microsoft may use the address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
4. Microsoft Partners may use the address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
5. Microsoft may use the phone number I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
6. Microsoft Partners may use the phone number I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.
So you must be glad that you unchecked all these boxes and Microsoft has now promised not to contact you by e-mail, address, or phone numbers, which by the way are all REQUIRED items on that page that must be filled out. But did you actually read what’s on that download page? Here’s what it says.
“Regardless of any contact preferences you might have previously made on this Microsoft site or on other Microsoft sites or services, by registering for trial software, you consent and agree to allow Microsoft or one of its third-party agents to contact you no more than three (3) instances during the software’s trial period for the purpose of soliciting feedback on the trial software or to supply you with additional evaluation content and information about trial software. Any other use of the personal information in your .NET Passport profile is subject to the Microsoft Privacy Statement.”
In other words, the checking or unchecking of these boxes has absolutely no meaning whatsoever. You still agreed that you should be contacted via e-mail, address, and phone number. Notice it also states that “Any other use of the personal information in your .NET Passport profile is subject to the Microsoft Privacy Statement.” Take a minute and think about this last statement. It is very telling.
