I just found this topic on slashdot.org so I had to check it out..
"In short, if you are already signed up for and use Hotmail, Microsoft has given itself the right to share your e-mail address and other data with outside companies -- even if you explicitly told Microsoft not to do so when you signed up.If you have an active Hotmail account, go to www.hotmail.com. When the home page comes up, click on ``Options,'' followed by ``Personal Profile.''
Look for the boxes at the bottom, under a paragraph headed ``Tired of registration forms?'' In that paragraph, Microsoft explains how convenient it is to share your Hotmail registration information, which it uses to create the .NET Passport."
I looked in my settings in my Hotmail account of 4 years, and there it was... "Share my e-mail address" and "Share my other registration information." was selected! Crummy bastards! The original news breaking article here
, and its followup story here...