From a privacy perspective, maybe. From a security perspective they’re totally different. Malware can be used to perform arbitrary code execution compromise my

From a privacy perspective, maybe. From a security perspective they’re totally different. Malware can be used to perform arbitrary code execution compromise my machine, pivot to my work computer compromise my aws keys, spin up $100k/mon infrastructure to run unrelated scams, syphon down my customer database ransomware it / post it on the dark web. Telemetry is unlikely to do the above. If it does it gets reclassified as malware. The distinction is valid and useful. Claiming otherwise is either ignorant in the extreme or deliberately deceptive. Which are you?