Microsoft’s recent announcement at their Build annual developer conference has sparked controversy among tech industry followers. The company introduced a new feature called Recall for their Copilot+ PCs, which records a user’s screen activity, including mouse movements and app actions, allowing users to replay them to find specific details or interactions. Despite Microsoft’s assurance that the data is stored locally and under the user’s control, some X users expressed concerns about the privacy and security implications of this feature.
Critics on X compared Recall to spyware and keyloggers, highlighting the risks of having sensitive information stored on the device if it falls into the wrong hands. Some users raised concerns about the potential for government agencies or hackers to access the recorded data, given Microsoft’s history of cyber attacks. Even Elon Musk weighed in, describing the feature as reminiscent of a “black mirror” episode.
While it remains to be seen how this backlash will impact sales of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs, the outcome will determine whether the benefits of the Recall feature outweigh the privacy and security risks. Microsoft has emphasized that users have full control over their data and reiterated that it is stored in an encrypted format on the device, with no transmission to the cloud or web for training AI models. Time will tell if these assurances are enough to address the concerns raised by users and if the Recall feature will deliver as intended without compromising privacy and security.
Article Source
https://venturebeat.com/security/microsofts-new-recall-feature-for-copilotpcs-draws-criticism-spyware/