Microsoft’s Windows Recall feature is attracting controversy before even venturing out of preview.
Microsoft said in its FAQs that its snapshotting feature will vacuum up sensitive information: “Recall does not perform content moderation. It will not hide information such as passwords or financial account numbers. That data may be in snapshots stored on your device, especially when sites do not follow standard internet protocols like cloaking password entry.”
Mozilla’s Chief Product Officer Steve Teixeira told The Register: "Mozilla is concerned about Windows Recall. From a browser perspective, some data should be saved, and some shouldn’t.
Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, noted that while the feature is not on by default, its use “opens up another avenue for criminals to attack.”
Moore warned that “users should be mindful of allowing any content to be analysed by AI algorithms for a better experience.”
Cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont was scathing in his assessment of the technology, writing: “In essence, a keylogger is being baked into Windows as a feature.”
AI expert Gary Marcus was blunter: “F^ck that. I don’t want my computer to spy on everything I ever do.”
What exactly can recall see? Is it just what’s on screen?
Because, if I’m like most people when I type my password, I keep my passwords hashed on the screen as I type it. (i’m using anything but Windows since 2016)
What’s the point of this feature ? If it were not evil, what problem would it solve ? How often do you go to your PC and think “what was that thing I saw but never thought to create a bookmark or save the link/image”.
Even if people use it, it would be for something they missed because they thought it was unimportant or didn’t interest them, which is a very rare use case.
And still it is a highlight feature !
I wonder if it is lack of ideas or lack of commitment to create a good idea , given a technology, when these kinds of useless features are launched.
I can’t think of a single reason why I would need detailed snapshots of everything I did with my own computer.
But I can think of plenty of reasons why corporations, advertisers and governments would want that.
I can’t remember the last time Microsoft Imolemented a good idea into windows other than small UI changes.
Total Recall? Get your ass to Linux!
I’ve tried to get into linux 4 different times now. Over the coarst of 15 years.
I have no idea what I’m doing.
Try BazziteOS
It’s meant for gaming, but I find it’s so feature complete that’s it’s great for non-gaming purposes.
Somehow it even works better on my monitor than Windows, since I can actually control my brightness from an applet rather than having to use my monitor buttons.
Not OP, but I feel like every time I come across a thread like this, someone is recommending a different version of Linux. It makes it really difficult to decide, and I can’t exactly just “try out” Linux on my computer the same way I could try out other programs.
Yes, I could install it on a thumb drive, but that’s not persistent, so I couldn’t try it out for more than a few hours. Takes longer than that to decide to completely switch OSes.
You can use something like VirtualBox or VMWare. Won’t be the fastest experience, but also not so bad. It’s good enough to have a feel of how something works.
It completely depends on their implementation. Apple released Local Snapshots for OSX with Time Machine in 2007. Granted, they’re created hourly rather than every few minutes, but there hasn’t been a vulnerability or exploit as a result of the feature.
That’s pretty much a completely different feature though? It creates local backups. It respects passwords and encryption. It doesn’t take periodical screenshots of what you’re doing and reads their content to feed an LLM.
I assumed the Copilot integration was elective. The article states it’s not on by default.
Otherwise it’s the same. Local backups through Time Machine can be accessed a la carte through a screenshot-based GUI, so the screenshots are part of the Local Snapshots stored on your local drive. They’re password protected and decrypted at user login.
Time Machine doesn’t use screenshots, it shows a folder at different states throughout time. The folders and files are fully interactive too. It’s much more akin to how git works.
Have you used it with an application? You can look at all revisions made to a document in Pages, a spreadsheet in Numbers, etc. It makes Local Snapshots of foreground applications.
https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/restore-an-earlier-version-of-a-document-tan7f1de6ec5/mac
That is an iterative backup of a file within a file system. It is not the same as periodic screenshots.
No one here mentioning this will be a gold mine for Malware makers and hackers.
The actual article does mention it.
As much as I want “Jarvis” OS system, I really don’t want the version made by Microsoft, Google, or, Apple.
I want to be able to talk with my AI PC, but I want secure AI that’s just for me and won’t steal all my data for any Corporations to browse.
You want something that will never happen.
I think the would becomes a lonely place if everyone started only talking with their AI friend. And you know that’s what would happen. Humans would isolate from each other ever more.
if everyone started only talking with their AI friend.
This would be super great for the ruling class behind the AI curtain. Your AI pal would compliment and flatter you while guiding you down the corporate cattle chute.
Is this a Black Mirror episode yet?
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