[egwor]

If it were a pre-downloaded list then this is not surveillance. What it is doing it ensuring that software hasn't got malware in and/or that the developer's certificate hasn't been removed (e.g. for distributing malware). That's a good thing, like running a checksum on a downloaded file.

[varispeed]

I agree, that would be a good idea, as long as it wouldn't call home and sending any reports afterwards.