[Hawxy]

How is anything you quoted a problem? Activity history being synced to your Microsoft account is an entirely opt-in feature. It's designed to assist in the scenario of "I moved from my desktop to my laptop and want to open that file I was working on a few days ago....now what did I name it and where did I put it?"

[JoshMnem]

That feature could easily be opt-in, without any dark patterns. If people want it, they could check a box.

Data shouldn't leave my devices unless I opt-in on a very specific case-by-case basis.

Giving personal data (like browsing history, identifying information, etc.) should not be a requirement for using technology, which has become a fundamental aspect of participating in society.