OS Accounts as Identity Gatekeepers

Windows 11 will no longer allow local‑only setup: an internet connection and Microsoft account are required, and even command‑line bypasses are being disabled. This turns the operating system’s first‑run into a mandatory identity checkpoint controlled by the vendor. — Treating PCs as account‑gated services raises privacy, competition, and consumer‑rights questions about who controls access to general‑purpose computing.