Torrent Trackers Block Windows 10 Users Over Fear It Will Rat Them Out

If you’re a Windows 10 user that just so happens to have a penchant for hitting up torrent sites (mainly for unscrupulous purposes), you made be surprised to find out that you may being discriminated against. That’s right, following news stories that Windows 10 is sending data data to Microsoft, some torrent trackers are getting spooked and thus are forbidding Windows 10 users from connecting.

Torrent sites seems to be most troubled by Microsoft’s updated End Users License Agreement (EULA), which states:

Sometimes you'll need software updates to keep using the Services. We may automatically check your version of the software and download software updates or configuration changes, including those that prevent you from accessing the Services, playing counterfeit games, or using unauthorized hardware peripheral devices.

Although this language covers the Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows Phone and other Microsoft services, that didn’t stop the tinfoil hat wearers from opining that such restrictions could be applied to Windows 10. For its part, Microsoft says that such restrictions are only in place to enhance the security of its software and services.

“Software that is pirated or botted places the safety and security of our customers at risk, including a higher risk of malware, fraud, public exposure of personal information, and poor performance or feature malfunction,” said Microsoft in a statement to VentureBeat last week. “We remain committed to protecting our customers from the risks of non-genuine software and protecting the intellectual property of developers of all types of content.” nothing in a statement to Venture Beat last week.”

The first to bring down down the ban hammer on Windows 10 users is private tracker iTS. iTS has shown great disdain for Windows 10’s seeming disregard for privacy, writing, “Many of you might have heard or read about the terrible privacy policy of windows 10 recently. Unfortunately, Microsoft decided to revoke any kind of data protection and submit whatever they can gather to not only themselves but also others.”

iTS goes on to state that Microsoft is working hand-in-hand with anti-piracy company MarkMonitor (a company that it has been associated with for quite some time) to surreptitiously pick off torrent users, and eventually go after trackers that feed them.

“Perhaps at some point special versions of windows 10 will surface that would successfully wipe all those outrageous privacy violations but until then windows 10 is not welcome here in the interest of this site and all iTS members,” further warns iTS.

While iTS is the first to slam the door on Windows 10 users, it likely won’t be the last. The Pirate Bay reports that BB and FSC may be the next to go down that route.