Today I installed Windows on my laptop and then I visited Reddit without being logged in. The two experiences are very similar.
I usually use Linux, so installing a new OS is really clean. You just end up with an empty operating system and you can do whatever you want.
But while installing Windows the damn program kept asking me for information and pressuring me into giving up my email address and phone number. Then when I finally got in, it’s full of apps like fucking D!sney and Sp0tify… GTFO.
Then I go on Reddit, which I usually think of as a place where people post funny paragraphs and interesting questions… BUT NO… now it’s just a splash page full of pictures and ads and other bullshit.
I know that you already know this, but it’s sooo annoying and ugly.
For your next windows install d/c the Ethernet cable and dont put in the wifi, itll let you skip the account making process… for now.
I did skip the account creation process by choosing “offline” account (a clearly-intentionally-misleading name, since I can definitely go online). And in order to avoid having suggested ads I had to choose the “limited experience” (or some similar term, I forget exactly what it’s called).
So in the end I was still able to avoid the most gross stuff, but I had to run a gauntlet of loaded terms and weird social pressure from MS devs.
Sounds like its gotten worse, best of luck.