Topic: Privacy Settings

Reports indicate that Facebook is collaborating with retail partners like Macy's to track offline, in-store purchases. By linking personal information like phone numbers and emails to transaction data, Facebook allows businesses to target users with ads based on their real-world shopping habits.

A recent Windows 10 update introduced a "Timeline" feature that tracks and displays a user's activity over several days. The hosts warn that this serves as a potential "spy tool" for anyone with physical access to the computer and is enabled by default. They provide instructions on how to disable the feature and Cortana within the privacy settings to protect user data.

Travel delays on United Airlines resulted in a late arrival, compounded by a technical issue with an iPhone. Because location services were disabled for privacy reasons, the device failed to update its internal clock automatically, leading to a missed wake-up time and reduced preparation window for the broadcast.

The current state of targeted advertising is criticized for being ineffective, often serving ads for products users have already purchased. The discussion contrasts modern digital tracking with the successful "world-building" advertising model used by Bill Ziff at Ziff Davis and *PC Magazine*.

A discussion on institutional spying in Windows 10 leads to a technical grievance regarding the Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interface. One host describes a frustrating experience attempting to install drivers, involving mandatory account registration and "bloatware" installation. The product is compared unfavorably to M-Audio devices which typically offer "plug and play" functionality.

Microsoft released the Windows 10 Creators Update, prompting users to review new privacy defaults. Analysis of the update reveals that location services and advertising IDs are toggled on by default, while diagnostic data sharing cannot be fully disabled. The system uses an advertising ID to track app usage for "relevant ads," a feature that remains active even if users opt out of personalization.

An artist previously arrested for posting drone-related posters in New York is premiering a documentary short titled "Authorized Drone Strike Zone" at the Vision Fest Film Festival. Separately, the mechanics of LinkedIn's "who viewed your profile" feature are discussed, including the various privacy tiers and the ability to remain anonymous while browsing.