Microsoft account
You provide some of this data directly , such as when you create a Microsoft account , administer your organisation 's licensing account , submit a search query to Bing , register for a Microsoft event , speak a voice command to Cortana , upload a document to OneDrive , purchase an MSDN subscription , sign up for Office 365 or contact us for support .
We also obtain data from third parties .
We protect data obtained from third parties according to the practices described in this statement , plus any additional restrictions imposed by the source of the data .
Data brokers from which we purchase demographic data to supplement the data we collect .
Partners with which we offer co-branded services or engage in joint marketing activities , and
The data we collect can include the following :
For example , if you transmit a file using Skype to another Skype user , we need to collect the content of that file to display it to you and the other user as you direct .
If you receive an email using Outlook.com , we need to collect the content of that email to deliver it to your inbox , display it to you , enable you to reply to it and store it for you until you choose to delete it .
We also collect information you provide to us and the content of messages you send to us , such as feedback and product reviews you write , or questions and information you provide for customer support .
When you contact us , such as for customer support , phone conversations or chat sessions with our representatives may be monitored and recorded .
Microsoft uses the data we collect for three basic purposes , described in more detail below : ( 1 ) to operate our business and provide ( including improving and personalising ) the products we offer , ( 2 ) to send communications , including promotional communications , and ( 3 ) to show advertising , whether in our own products supported by advertising like MSN and Bing , or in products offered by third parties .
This includes operating the products , maintaining and improving the performance of the products , developing new features , conducting research and providing customer support .
We use data to carry out your transactions with us and to provide our products to you .
Customer support .
Product activation .
Product Improvement .
We use data to continually improve our products , including adding new features or capabilities .
Security , Safety and Dispute Resolution .
We use data to protect the security and safety of our products and our customers , to detect and prevent fraud , to confirm the validity of software licences , to resolve disputes and enforce our agreements .
For example , we may contact you by phone or email or other means to inform you when a subscription is ending , discuss your licensing account , let you know when security updates are available , remind you about items left in your online shopping basket , update you or enquire about a service or repair request , invite you to participate in a survey , or tell you that you need to take action to keep your account active .
Additionally , you can sign up for email subscriptions and choose whether you wish to receive promotional communications from Microsoft by email , SMS , post and telephone .
For information about managing your contact data , email subscriptions and promotional communications , please visit the Access and Controls section of this privacy statement .
Advertising .
We use data we collect through our interactions with you , through some of our products and on third-party web properties , to show advertising .
When the advertising ID is enabled in Windows 10 as part of your privacy settings , Microsoft apps can access and use the advertising ID ( much the same way that websites can access and use a unique identifier stored in a cookie ) to select and deliver ads in such apps .
Advertisers may choose to place our web beacons on their sites in order to allow Microsoft to collect information on their sites such as activities , purchases and visits ; we use this data on behalf of our advertising customers to help target their ads .
We also share data directly with service providers , such as Oath , AppNexus or Facebook , to permit them to provide services on our behalf or to partner with us in selecting and serving ads for our advertising partners .
The ads that you see may be selected based on data we process about you , such as your interests and favourites , your location , your transactions , how you use our products , your search queries or the content you view .
For example , if you view content on MSN about automobiles , we may show advertisements about cars ; if you search “ pizza places in London ” on Bing , you may see advertisements in your search results for restaurants in London .
The ads that you see may also be selected based on other information learned about you over time using demographic data , location data , search queries , interests and favourites , usage data from our products and sites , as well as the sites and apps of our advertisers and partners .
We refer to these ads as " interest-based advertising " in this statement .
For example , if you view gaming content on xbox.com , you may see offers for games on MSN .
To provide interest-based advertising , we combine cookies placed on your device using information that we collect ( such as IP address ) when your browser interacts with our websites .
If you opt out of receiving interest-based advertising , data associated with these cookies will not be used .
Further details regarding our advertising-related uses of data include :
Advertising Industry Best Practices and Commitments .
Microsoft is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative ( NAI ) and adheres to the NAI Code of Conduct .
In the US : Digital Advertising Alliance ( DAA )
In Europe : European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance ( EDAA )
In Canada : Ad Choices : Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada ( DAAC ) / Choix de Pub : l'Alliance de la publicité numérique du Canada ( DAAC )
Children and Advertising .
We do not deliver interest-based advertising to children whose birthdate in their Microsoft account identifies them as under 13 years of age .
For interest-based advertising , we retain data for no more than 13 months , unless we obtain your consent to retain the data longer .
In some cases , we share with advertisers reports about the data that we have collected on their sites or ads .
Data Collected by Other Advertising Companies .
Advertisers sometimes include their own web beacons ( or those of their other advertising partners ) within their advertisements that we display , enabling them to set and read their own cookie .
Additionally , Microsoft partners with third-party ad companies to help provide some of our advertising services , and we also allow other third-party ad companies to display advertisements on our sites .
These third parties may place cookies on your computer and collect data about your online activities across websites or online services .
Many of them are also members of the NAI or DAA , which each provide a simple way to opt out of ad targeting from participating companies .
For example , we share your content with third parties when you tell us to do so , such as when you send an email to a friend , share photos and documents on OneDrive or link accounts with another service .
When you provide payment data to make a purchase , we will share payment data with banks and other entities that process payment transactions or provide other financial services , and for fraud prevention and credit risk reduction .
In addition , we share personal data among Microsoft-controlled affiliates and subsidiaries .
We also share personal data with vendors or agents working on our behalf for the purposes described in this statement .
For example , companies we 've hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal data to provide those functions .
In such cases , these companies must abide by our data privacy and security requirements and are not allowed to use personal data they receive from us for any other purpose .
We may also disclose personal data as part of a corporate transaction such as a merger or sale of assets .
comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process , including from law enforcement or other government agencies ;
protect our customers , for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud users of our products , or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone ;
operate and maintain the security of our products , including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks ; or
protect the rights or property of Microsoft , including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services – however , if we receive information indicating that someone is using our services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property belonging to Microsoft , we will not inspect a customer 's private content ourselves , but we may refer the matter to law enforcement .
Please note that some of our products include links to products of third parties whose privacy practices differ from Microsoft 's .
You can also opt out from receiving interest-based advertising from Microsoft by visiting our opt-out page .
Cookies allow us , among other things , to store your preferences and settings ; enable you to sign-in ; provide interest-based advertising ; combat fraud ; and analyse how our websites and online services are performing .
Microsoft apps use other identifiers , such as the advertising ID in Windows described in the Windows section of this statement , for similar purposes .
Microsoft account
With a Microsoft account , you can sign into Microsoft products , as well as those of select Microsoft partners .
When you create your own Microsoft account , we refer to that account as a personal Microsoft account .
Creating and using your personal Microsoft account .
When you create a personal Microsoft account , you will be asked for certain personal data and we will assign a unique ID number to identify your account and associated information .
Some data you provide , such as your display name , email address and phone number , can be used to help others find and connect with you within Microsoft products .
Note that if you use a work or school email address to create a personal Microsoft account , and your employer or school that issued that address begins managing that account with Azure Active Directory ( AAD ) , you will need to update the email address associated with your personal Microsoft account in order to continue accessing Microsoft products that do not use AAD ( such as Xbox Live ) .
When you sign into your Microsoft account , we create a record of your sign-in , which includes the date and time , information about the product you signed into , your sign-in name , the unique number assigned to your account , a unique identifier assigned to your device , your IP address and your operating system and browser version .
Signing into your account enables improved personalisation , provides seamless and consistent experiences across products and devices , permits you to access and use cloud data storage , allows you to make payments using payment instruments stored in your Microsoft account and enables other enhanced features and settings .
If you add your Microsoft account to a Windows device ( version 8 or higher ) , Windows will automatically sign you into products that use Microsoft account that you access on that device .
If you sign into a third-party product with your Microsoft account , you will be asked to consent to share the account data required by that product .
If you chose to make payments to third-party merchants using your Microsoft account , Microsoft will pass to the third party information stored in your Microsoft account necessary to process your payment and fulfill your order ( such as name , credit card number , billing and delivery addresses , and relevant contact information ) .
The third party can use or share the data it receives when you sign in or make a purchase according to its own practices and policies .
Personal Microsoft accounts received from third parties .
If you received your personal Microsoft account from a third party , like an Internet service provider , that third party may have rights over your account , including the ability to access or delete your Microsoft account .
Where We Store and Process Personal Data
Personal data collected by Microsoft may be stored and processed in your region , in the United States , and in any other country where Microsoft or its affiliates , subsidiaries or service providers operate facilities .
Microsoft maintains major data centres in Australia , Austria , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Finland , France , Germany , Hong Kong SAR , India , Ireland , Japan , Korea , Luxembourg , Malaysia , the Netherlands , Singapore , South Africa , the United Kingdom and the United States .
Typically , the primary storage location is in the customer 's region or in the United States , often with a backup to a data centre in another region .
The storage location ( s ) are chosen in order to operate efficiently , to improve performance and to create redundancies in order to protect the data in the event of an outage or other problem .
We take steps to ensure that the data we collect under this privacy statement is processed according to the provisions of this statement and the requirements of applicable law wherever the data is located .
Is there an automated control , such as in the Microsoft privacy dashboard , that enables the customer to access and delete the personal data at any time ?
Is the personal data of a sensitive type ?
When we post changes to this statement , we will revise the " last updated " date at the top of the statement and describe the changes in the Change History page .
We encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to learn how Microsoft is protecting your information .
If you have a personal Microsoft account password question , please visit Microsoft account support .
We will respond to questions or concerns within 30 days .
23-29 Rives de Clausen L-2165 Luxembourg , Luxembourg is a data controller for Skype .
To contact us in relation to Skype software or products , please submit a support request to the Skype customer support team .