Some developers use telemetry to figure out how people use their software
Shouldn't that be done in-house, or at minimum with users that agree to be monitored?
But users do agree to it. That’s why software installers literally ask you whether you agree to share usage data or not.
No problem with those that do that, but those aren't what's under discussion here. With many apps you get told they will use telemetry and that's your lot. Others will offer you the option to
opt out of
some telelmetry but not all. And it should be opt in.
Any legitimate vendor makes it clear what is and isn’t collected. (For example, that your data itself won’t be shared.)
Unless 'anonymised'. Or shared with trusted partners. Or similar wishy-washy things.
Are you happy with your car telling the manufacturer where you went, what speeds you did where, how you used the brakes, your acceleration, where you were looking, how you flash the lights, etc? What time you go to work, the shops, hey - is that the place where Ms Periwinkle's car is parked and it's always 8pm to 10pm?
Completely different from usage statistics.
A correct analogy would be that it shares things like: what percentage of the time is your foot on the gas pedal? How many times do you use the brake on a typical drive? What’s the average length of your drives, in km and in minutes? What’s your acceleration style (jackrabbit starts or slow off the line)? How long is the car idle between drives?
Not sure I want anyone to know any of that! It's just a matter of degree, isn't it? Where one draws the line. And don't forget we are on about those not asking permission but just gobbling the stuff, because.
The stuff you list is more like if Word was sending not only that, but also uploading your documents and a live keyboard log.
I am absolutely aware that some companies, like Google and Meta (and the essentially scammers who make “free” phone apps whose main raison d’être is to collect user data), do collect and upload all kinds of sensitive personal data, like location logs, to use for commercial purposes.
Check up a little bit and you'll see that this
is about those 'some companies'. Microsoft is definitely not an innocent in this.