More Xbox One Kinect privacy details outlined

Microsoft's updated privacy statement explains various aspects of the personal data that Xbox One's Kinect will collect and store and how it will be shared.

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Xbox One's launch is just around the corner, and Microsoft is still looking to allay fears about privacy with its updated Kinect. The company has now shared much more detail about some of the details it outlined in June, including just what data will be stored on your console and what will be sent to Microsoft or other users.

In a lengthy privacy statement (via Polygon), Microsoft explains exactly where information is stored. The Kinect facial information to log you in automatically, for example, is said to stay strictly on the console itself. The "skeleton" it creates for gaming sessions is kept temporarily and then "destroyed" afterwards. It also notes that this is little more than a stick figure. Expressions are temporary too. You can opt-in to share data about your voice command controls.

The company does note that it may collect body-tracking data for analysis and to improve the functionality of the device, but it doesn't permanently store it. Fitness games, specifically, are very data-sharing-heavy. Your exercise information will be shared with Microsoft, but you can choose whether to share it with other players.

It also says that users shouldn't expect "any level of privacy" when using voice chat and video during live-hosted gameplay sessions. That said, it doesn't listen in on Skype calls, so that warning is strictly for in-game communications.

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