I've double checked after installing updates because the FUD worried me too. It just confuses me now because it doesn't happen. Maybe it's a legends that's grown as it's been passed on by people who don't use or understand Windows because they already hate it.
It's not FUD. Windows has legitimate issues with dark patterns. I think it's safe to say from the proliferation of tools just to play wack-a-mole with the settings alone that there is a problem. Even if you turn some off, they will add new ones. I understand Windows and Microsoft's history and that is precisely why I hate it. I should not need to hunt all over the settings to find a dozen different telemetry options that I want to turn off. It should be one button to turn it all off, on the first page of settings.
Microsoft is trying to make it more difficult to use Windows 11 with no Microsoft account all the time. If you think they won't try to screw you on privacy, you're very wrong.