Random people showing up in Track Changes??

Anonymous
2023-02-05T00:30:48+00:00

I am doing revisions on a novel and random people are now showing up in the track changes. I have not shared this document with anyone, but it is stored in my OneDrive. How did these people's names get in my document? They are coming up as reviewers and their names are attached to changes I've made.

This is incredibly concerning and a HUGE privacy violation. Has anyone else seen this??

For what it is worth, I've googled these people and I have NO connection to them at all. But one thing I did notice is that LinkedIn profiles appear for all of them near the top of the Google results. One of them is the CMO of Whole Foods?? I, personally, do not have a LinkedIn profile nor have I ever.

Microsoft Word for Mac v16.69.1

macOS 13.2

EDIT: I updated the screenshot to remove content of document.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | MacOS

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-02-09T14:04:13+00:00

    I had this EXACT same problem happen to me yesterday. It was very disturbing at first, until the names started changing randomly each time I re-opened the document - that's when I figured it must be a bug.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-02-08T15:09:06+00:00

    [pii shared with support] Hopefully that gives them what they need.

    Thanks

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  3. Diane Poremsky MVP 17,541 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-02-08T14:59:32+00:00

    My contact asked for either a repro document or the device ID- device ID can be found in the Menu bar under Word -> About Microsoft Word -> Device ID.

    Report it using Help > contact support - and if you get a case #, I will pass that along so they can look at it.

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  4. Jim G 134.1K Reputation points MVP
    2023-02-08T14:34:45+00:00

    To report a bug, first be sure to have the latest current channel update installed. Use the Menu Bar in Word and choose Word > About Microsoft Word to display the version you have. 16.69 and 16.70 are the current update versions.

    Then, when the issue presents itself as you are working, use the Menu Bar and choose Help > Feedback > I Don't Like Something and describe what is happening. Be sure to include your contact information in case Microsoft wants to ask you about your submission. Microsoft won't bother you at all or even acknolwedge your submission unless they need additional information.

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