Personalized advertising based on your gaming, browsing, and purchase history means Microsoft is monetizing your behavioral profile — but you can opt out of interest-based ads through your privacy settings.
Consumer impact
Microsoft collects a broad range of personal data across Xbox and all its products, including voice data, precise location, gaming history, payment details, and behavioral inferences, which are shared across Microsoft's product family and used for advertising and AI model improvement. Minors using Xbox are subject to specific parental consent controls, but the breadth of data collection across interconnected Microsoft services means that even child accounts generate significant data profiles. You can review, download, and delete your personal data by visiting your Microsoft Privacy Dashboard at https://account.microsoft.com/privacy.
What you can do
⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
Opt Out of Arbitration
Log in to your Microsoft account, navigate to the Privacy Dashboard, select 'Personalised ads', and toggle off interest-based advertising to opt out of targeted ads across Microsoft services.
Applicable agencies
FTC
The FTC has authority over unfair and deceptive advertising data practices under FTC Act Section 5 and enforces consumer rights related to behavioral advertising disclosures.
California's CPPA and State AG enforce CCPA/CPRA opt-out rights for targeted advertising and sharing of personal information, applicable to Microsoft's advertising practices.