Much debate has surrounded the tracking enhancements in Windows 10, and now that debate comes to Windows 7 & 8 after several telemetry-based updates arrived on Windows desktops in the last week. I realize there are many opinions and sides to this conversation, but at the end of the day, transparency should be the approach. Microsoft has gone out of its way to skillfully hide and mask its intentions when it comes to the collection of meta data about its customers.
The following is a link and content from a colleague on the subject:
Its also very interesting that even though Microsoft lists two host names in KB3068708 that data is received from and sent to (vortex-win.data.microsoft.com & settings-win.data.microsoft.com) you cannot block these with a typical hosts file entry that sends these to 127.0.0.1. That is because KB3068708 is coded to ignore the hosts file. Sneaky stuff.
List of Windows 7 telemetry updates to avoid Search the following KB numbers in your installed updates. Uninstall any that are currently installed and hide them from future notices.
KB2952664 Compatibility update for upgrading Windows 7 KB2990214 Update that enables you to upgrade from Windows 7 to a later version of Windows KB3021917 Update to Windows 7 SP1 for performance improvements KB3022345 Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry KB3035583 Update installs get windows 10 app in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 SP1 KB3068708 (replaces KB3022345) Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry KB3075249 Update that adds telemetry points to consent.exe in Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 KB3080149 Update for customer experience and diagnostic telemetry