Windows 10's free upgrade ends July 29

July is a huge month for Microsoft because it marks the end of free Windows 10 upgrades. But it also coincides with serious new warnings issued about the operating system…The warnings come directly from France’s National Data Protection Commission (CNIL) which has accused Microsoft of using Windows 10 for “collecting excessive data and tracking browsing by users without their consent”.

The CNIL also claims Microsoft collects “irrelevant or excessive data”, does not have “satisfactory measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of user data”, does not abide by the European Union’s ‘Safe Habour’ rules because it stores user data outside their home country without consent and damns the company for the lack of user consent Windows 10 provides as it enables so many data tracking features by default.

The upshot is Microsoft has a three month warning to address the alleged flaws or face sanctions.

For its part Microsoft vice president and deputy general counsel David Heiner has issued a formal statement saying the company “will release an updated privacy statement next month”. He also promised Microsoft “will work closely with the CNIL over the next few months to understand the agency’s concerns fully and to work toward solutions that it will find acceptable.”