New Windows AI feature records everything you’ve done on your PC | Recall uses AI features "to take images of your active screen every few seconds OMG

[clutchmaster]

"Recall" uses AI features "to take images of your active screen every few seconds.

 

At a Build conference event on Monday, Microsoft revealed a new AI-powered feature called "Recall" for Copilot+ PCs that will allow Windows 11 users to search and retrieve their past activities on their PC. To make it work, Recall records everything users do on their PC, including activities in apps, communications in live meetings, and websites visited for research. Despite encryption and local storage, the new feature raises privacy concerns for certain Windows users.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/microsofts-new-recall-feature-will-record-everything-you-do-on-your-pc/

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another reason to avoid windows 11 and convert all my clients and friends back to windows 10... i wont be surprised if this is opt out on fresh installs / after updates, or turned on without warning / delayed warning.

windows 10 should be the last Windows OS!
 

 

[kodokuj]

Yeah... I'm good being with Windows 10 forever, even if I'm long EOL

Hell I'd rather use a Mac as my main machine at this point

That's how bad this is to me

[Hellowpplz]

2 minutes ago, clutchmaster said:

"Recall" uses AI features "to take images of your active screen every few seconds.

 

At a Build conference event on Monday, Microsoft revealed a new AI-powered feature called "Recall" for Copilot+ PCs that will allow Windows 11 users to search and retrieve their past activities on their PC. To make it work, Recall records everything users do on their PC, including activities in apps, communications in live meetings, and websites visited for research. Despite encryption and local storage, the new feature raises privacy concerns for certain Windows users.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/05/microsofts-new-recall-feature-will-record-everything-you-do-on-your-pc/

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another reason to avoid windows 11 and convert all my clients and friends back to windows 10... i wont be surprised if this is opt out on fresh installs / after updates, or turned on without warning / delayed warning.

windows 10 should be the last Windows OS!
 

 

laughs in linux

 

now being serious, if I remember correctly from the video released about it, you can turn it off somehow

[PowerPCFan]

Here's another reason for me wanting to disable Copilot. SO ANNOYING MICRO$OFT!! 

 

If anyone knows how to delete Copilot completely, I made a post: 

 

 

[Spotty]

Who is this for? Who thinks this is a good idea? What possible benefit does this provide?

 

 

Quote

Recall won't take snapshots of InPrivate web browsing sessions in Microsoft Edge or DRM-protected content. However, Recall won't actively hide sensitive information like passwords and financial account numbers that appear on-screen.

/Facepalm

[TempestCatto]

Man they're gonna see my spank bank!

Seriously, how is this not some kind of legal invasion of privacy? Someone's gonna sue them for this bullshit.

[BoomerDutch]

Man, I'm glad I've abandoned windows.

*Realises I'm IT tech guy*

Man they should not implement this.

[StDragon]

1 hour ago, Spotty said:

Who is this for? Who thinks this is a good idea? What possible benefit does this provide?

 

/Facepalm

This has huge cybersecurity concerns with regards to data loss prevention (DLP). Microsoft needs to rein in the scope of data gathering and not just hoover up data. A GPT isn't going to know or care you temporarily copied sensitive information in an unsaved TXT file via Notepad.exe. If it's not committed to disk, that shit does not, nor should ever exist anywhere else.

That said, I do love the idea of a local GPT model that can crawl through specific directories and applications (that I choose). I think a good framework already having been established is the Windows Search indexing service. The Indexing Options (Control Panel) can include or exclude locations. The actual database files themselves are located in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\Windows", so you can clear them out manually or resetting with the Control Panel options. If "Recall" acted as a Windows Search 2.0, that would be perfect balance between functionality and having the power to limit the scope of what data and apps to crawl through.

With regards to the Windows Search Index itself, I personally use it heavily for Outlook integration to easily find content as I get literally thousands of emails a day at work. Having the ability to prompt locally with intelligence would be a Godsend in boosting productivity! I can't stress how massive this would be. I would PAY EXTRA for that feature if push comes to shove for it!

[Needfuldoer]

Yeah, that's the line for me.

 

I'm sure ways to disable this nonsense will come out sooner than later, if it isn't simply walked back due to the inevitable backlash. If not, I might actually go back to Macs after 20+ years on Windows. (Desktop Linux is a disjointed mess, always has been.)

[ARandomPerson]

Win + Alt + G

*Mic drops*

[Forbidden Wafer]

There it is. If the Snapdragon elite doesn't support Ubuntu, I'm out, because I don't want that spyware crap running.

[StDragon]

1 hour ago, Needfuldoer said:

I might actually go back to Macs after 20+ years on Windows. (Desktop Linux is a disjointed mess, always has been.)

You really think Apple won't be data mining with a local Edge GPT instance on a MacBook?

 

That's all the hotness, these micro GPTs running on desktop, laptop, and mobile NPUs. You're not going to escape it unless you run a Linux destro. 

[Salted Spinach]

4 hours ago, PowerPCFan said:

Here's another reason for me wanting to disable Copilot. SO ANNOYING MICRO$OFT!! 

 

If anyone knows how to delete Copilot completely, I made a post: 

 

 

Like this?

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/completely-disable-and-remove-copilot-in-windows-11.23264/

 

Looking into the files essential to copilot so I can mangle them beyond repair. Because MS dont have a good record of respecting users' choice in settings

 

Will also help to have wireshark on the DIY router to catch and block unwanted network activity

[thrasher_565]

i mean there lots of programs already the phone home with data. your got a location id added in to the pc and micro hot fix can be dont ant any time with out you known. i didn't download an update as up dates were disable log ago but im still getting them...

 

i probably have a virus but w/e when i open mind craft it shops a pic of my desktop then gets to the mc screen were you select your game then when it gets to the menu screen it shows a screen shot agan...

 

i bleave there a way to send updates thow usb too and some how mb just no the dat and time even with no battery

 

im guessing everything your record thow obs or lie vlc is sent to a cloud as to why you need an online video player is beyond me...

 

the enet recorded everything you do anyway so no surprise there.

 

talks about something to do with hdmi and data block but i dont...

Edited May 22 by thrasher_565

[Beskamir]

This might just finally be what will ensure I switch to Linux.

[Biohazard777]

7 hours ago, Spotty said:

Who is this for? Who thinks this is a good idea? What possible benefit does this provide?

Unfortunately, I can think of uses for this....

 

An elderly family member (let's call her Joan) would never bookmark web pages when browsing for potential stuff to buy.

When I would come over to visit Joan if she wanted my opinion on something she wanted to buy...

Welp, I'd always have to wait 10-20 minutes for Joan to remember:

- which online shop it was

- brand

- model

It typically involved a lot of trial and error to find the thing again, let's say Joan wanted to buy a refrigerator.

Just replace "Find the red barn" with "Refrigerator" and a handy slider to scrub through dozens and dozens of refrigerators.

It would be far quicker than going through browser history.

Anyhow, this feature is an excellent crutch for people who are not willing or capable of taking notes / organizing their shit. 

[suicidalfranco]

I would act outraged by this but it's been half a decade since i last booted into my Windows partition... and the next rig im planning wont have a windows partition anyway.

So yeah, don't care and a none issue. Dont like it, move away. Wanna keep consuming your gateway drug? stop complaining. Every "ermagod micorshit bad"  article is becoming tiresome at this point. Microsoft wants to squeeze every penny they can squeeze out of you, deal with it and move on.

[GeorgeB123]

8 hours ago, Hellowpplz said:

laughs in linux

 

now being serious, if I remember correctly from the video released about it, you can turn it off somehow

but is it ever truly off? haha

[Vishera]

You could use or make your own custom Windows image, Personally speaking i prefer using Windows Server 2022.

 

[darknessblade]

This feature might be highly likely to be disabled by default in the EU, as it violates GDPR regulations

[Doobeedoo]

From what I've seen you can opt out and disable this, which makes sense. But this is just basically your PC usage history for you to fall back on with active search and find. Don't see it as anything new really. There was stuff like this already.

[Kisai]

15 hours ago, Spotty said:

Who is this for? Who thinks this is a good idea? What possible benefit does this provide?

Micromanagement by Management of employees, since they employ this technology already. Telecom companies have been using versions screen-recording for 20+ years to ensure employees aren't doing stupid things.

 

This practice however is super worthless since it consumes processor time, disk space, and network bandwidth on the off-chance an employee does something that needs a lawsuit to follow it.

 

For end-users this is pretty much worthless since it's acting as a screen recorder, not undo steps. This might be helpful for say, artists, who might accidently trash their art project, but the reality is that good paint programs already do this. Clients want proof that their commissions and contracts aren't just handing it to someone else who just used some AI program to generate it. Show your work.

 

15 hours ago, Spotty said:

 

/Facepalm

 

No kidding. The potential privacy issues here make it pretty much it something nobody should realistically use. If the computer can record it, someone else can watch it.

 

On a SERVER, this might make more sense to figure out what someone else did when the server stops operating normally. But most of the issues with servers are caused by Microsoft's own patches.

 

[igormp]

13 hours ago, Forbidden Wafer said:

There it is. If the Snapdragon elite doesn't support Ubuntu, I'm out, because I don't want that spyware crap running.

The SoC itself is supposed to have good upstream support, but good luck with the DTs for each notebook out there...

[Spotty]

UK ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) is apparently looking in to the Recall feature over privacy concerns.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwwqp6nx14o

Quote

The UK data watchdog says it is "making enquiries with Microsoft" over a new feature that can take screenshots of your laptop every few seconds.

 

https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/05/statement-in-response-to-microsoft-recall-feature/

Quote

“We expect organisations to be transparent with users about how their data is being used and only process personal data to the extent that it is necessary to achieve a specific purpose. Industry must consider data protection from the outset and rigorously assess and mitigate risks to peoples' rights and freedoms before bringing products to market.

“We are making enquiries with Microsoft to understand the safeguards in place to protect user privacy.”

 

[RejZoR]

On 5/22/2024 at 1:14 AM, Hellowpplz said:

laughs in linux

 

now being serious, if I remember correctly from the video released about it, you can turn it off somehow

Given how stupid Microsoft makes everything, it'll require hacking stuff up just like their utterly stupid installer when installing Windows if you don't want online account or don't want encrypted drives...