Manage Privacy in Windows 8

Windows 8 includes a variety of technologies that communicate with the Internet to provide increased ease-of-use and functionality. Browser and email technologies are examples, but there are also technologies such as automatic updating that help you obtain the latest software and product information, including bug fixes and software updates. These technologies provide many benefits for users, but they also involve communication with Internet sites, which administrators might want to help control.

You can help control this communication through a variety of options that are built in to individual features, the operating system, and features that are designed for managing configurations across your organization. For example, as an administrator, you can use Group Policy settings to help control the way some features communicate. For other features, you can create an environment in which all communication is directed to the organization’s internal website instead of to an external Internet site.

This section offers guidance about managing privacy-related settings in Windows 8 and includes additional links that can be useful to administrators and others concerned about privacy.

• Managing Internet Communication and Privacy in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Activation and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Dynamic Update and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Internet Explorer 10 and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• SmartScreen Filter and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Windows Defender and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Windows Error Reporting and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Appendix A: Resources for Learning About Automated Installation and Deployment for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  
• Appendix B: Group Policy Settings Listed Under the Internet Communication Management Category in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
  
  

For information about other features, see Using Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: Controlling Communication with the Internet. Updates to the information about controlling communication for other Windows 8 features will be made available here in the future.