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Microsoft makes the most of Google's privacy flap

Talks up its alternatives
Wed Feb 01 2012, 13:31

REDMOND SOFTWARE GIANT Microsoft is looking to take advantage of the fallout from Google's recently announced privacy policy changes and is taking out newspaper adverts that highlight its own products and services.

"Gone Google? Got Concerns? We Have Alternatives," says a blog post from Microsoft spokesman Frank X Shaw.

"When we read the coverage last week, it was clear people were honestly wrestling with the choices that had been made for them and were looking for options or alternatives," he added.

Although Google says different, Frank said that the firm's changes make it "harder, not easier" for people to stay in control of their own information.

He claimed, "We take a different approach, we work to keep you safe and secure online, to give you control over your data, and to offer you the choice of saving your information on your hard drive, in the cloud, or on both."

Google's announcement could have left its users feeling "frustrated, or concerned, or both", according to Microsoft's communications VP, so thanks then to its Hotmail, Bing, Office 365 and Internet Explorer offerings. He said these "award-winning alternatives" offer privacy and ad-free use, freedom from advertisers, and tracking protection.

As well as crowing about this in a blog post, Microsoft will also run a series of newspaper adverts that remind people of its alternatives. "If you haven't tried these Microsoft products and services, give 'em a shot," he added. "If you've tried them before and moved on, come on back. We've left the light on for you." µ

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Comments
Microsoft isn't kidding around...

http://bit.ly/zHNwwX

posted by : Herald, 02 February 2012 Complain about this comment
Come get some

I love reading the comments by other users, how they state the obvious.

Preaching to the choir!

They all sell pieces of you so who gives a shit. Not like there is anything you can do about it. Even if you wanted to fight you can't win.

I have a suggestions for you guys (Scott, Belgarian, i know, Yeah right) drop your pants and bend over here cums microsoft, google and why not facebook!

posted by : Get over it!, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
Duh

This is so cool. I need to dump the uncertainly of Google for the certainty of Micr0$uck$. Then I could be certain that my personal data is harvested and used, and sold, by the mighty Vole. And certain that standards will be extended and then extinguished, and certain to get SCREWED.

Now that's the ticket.

posted by : Hucklebuck, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
You mean the

Phone home every few days, drm infected software company thinks THEY are better?
Trust ms?
That is truly hilarious to me.

posted by : Scott, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
Speaking of alternative

Goodbye Google, goodbye MS,

today's offering of alternatives I chose are
GMX for email
Opera for browsing
DuckDuckGo for search
I dont process documents in the cloud so I coulnt care less for Office365 or GoogleDoc.

I shutdown my Google account over the weekend and am not looking back, I am also not going to ping-pong between Google and MS. Its time to try new things.

posted by : Yeah, right, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
Times a changing

Having been using Google docs and email for work past 4 months, I can honestly say, I will never complain about MS offerings again.

Used to loathe MS (like everyone) but Goog just started sucking too much.

posted by : i know, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
Alternatives

Microsoft offering the alternatives, yep M$, times change.

posted by : Belgarian, 01 February 2012 Complain about this comment
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