Microsoft Security Essentials Spynet, is it safe?

Hi everyone! This is my first post lol. Figures it’d be in the help section. So I’m debating on whether I want to use MSE. I’ve heard that the detection and removal rates are pretty good but I did some googling and found out that MSE has a SpyNet membership that you are required to join. Here is the part about SpyNet on their Privacy Policy. Microsoft SpyNet
What this feature does: The Microsoft SpyNet antimalware community is a voluntary, worldwide community that includes Microsoft Security Essentials users. Through Microsoft SpyNet, users can report malware and other forms of potentially unwanted software to Microsoft. Through Microsoft SpyNet, reports about malware and potentially unwanted software are sent to Microsoft. The type of information that is sent in reports depends on your level of Microsoft SpyNet membership.
Information collected, processed, or transmitted: Microsoft SpyNet reports include information about the files or programs in question, such as file names, cryptographic hash, vendor, size, and date stamps. In addition, Microsoft SpyNet might collect full URLs to indicate the origin of the file, which might occasionally contain personal information such as search terms or data entered in forms. Reports might also include the actions that you applied when Microsoft Security Essentials notified you that software was detected. Microsoft SpyNet reports include this information to help Microsoft gauge the effectiveness of Microsoft Security Essentials' ability to detect and remove malicious and potentially unwanted software.
Reports are automatically sent to Microsoft when:
Microsoft Security Essentials detects software or changes to your computer by software that have not yet been analyzed for risks.
You apply actions to software that Microsoft Security Essentials has detected.
Microsoft Security Essentials completes a scheduled scan and automatically applies actions to software that it detects, according to your settings.
Reports might unintentionally contain personal information. To the extent that any personal information is included in a report, Microsoft does not use the information to identify you or contact you.
You can join Microsoft SpyNet with a basic or an advanced membership. If you choose the recommended settings during Microsoft Security Essentials setup, you join with a basic membership. Basic member reports contain the information described above. Advanced member reports are more comprehensive and might occasionally contain personal information from, for example, file paths and partial memory dumps. These reports, along with reports from other Microsoft Security Essentials users who are participating in Microsoft SpyNet, help Microsoft researchers discover new threats more rapidly. Malware definitions are then created for programs that meet the analysis criteria, and the updated definitions are made available to all users through Microsoft Update.
Occasionally, Microsoft might request a Sample Submission report. This report contains specific files from your computer that Microsoft suspects might be potentially unwanted software. The report is used for further analysis. You will be asked each time if you want to send this Sample Submission report to Microsoft.
To help protect your privacy, reports sent to Microsoft over an encrypted connection.
Use of information: Microsoft SpyNet reports are used to improve Microsoft software and services. The reports might also be used for statistical or other testing or analytical purposes, and for generating definitions. Only Microsoft employees, contractors, partners, and vendors who have a business need to use the reports are provided access to them.
Choice/control: Running Microsoft Security Essentials requires you to be a member of Microsoft SpyNet. You can extend your membership to an advanced membership, in which case you will be asked if you want to permit or deny changes made by software that has not yet been classified for risks. Basic members will not be asked to review changes by this software and the changes will be permitted. To change your Microsoft SpyNet membership, use the options provided in the Microsoft Security Essentials Settings.
Is it safe to download with MSE installed? Could somehow MS find out that I am pirating stuff and like, I don’t know sue me?
~Thanks
Answer #1
“To the extent that any personal information is included in a report, Microsoft does not use the information to identify you or contact you.”
Don’t be so paranoid It’s safe. The information they are gathering is for malware research and the cloud protection only. I have MSE installed and it’s a very good antivirus.
Answer #2
"To the extent that any personal information is included in a report, Microsoft does not use the information to identify you or contact you."
Don't be so paranoid It's safe. The information they are gathering is for malware research and the cloud protection only. I have MSE installed and it's a very good antivirus.
+1