Remember: UK questions security of new Windows 11 AI tool

UK authorities want to know more about Recall, a new Windows tool that can automatically take screenshots. European presence looks for details about the usefulness and security of the function In the opinion of critics, this is tantamount to a “nightmare” in terms of privacy.

The complaints were made by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The organization is responsible for monitoring the use of citizens’ data.

A. Recall vehicle announced alongside Copilot + PCs. The function allows you to review all activities performed within the computer in the last session, including websites, programs, files and emails, with the help of artificial intelligence.

Currently, many operating systems already perform such tasks, but Recall goes even further. From time to time, the application takes screenshots of the user’s activity and thus completes the visualization of the content.

For many peopleautomatic recording of your own activity is far from ideal. “This could be a privacy nightmare,” privacy expert Kris Shrishak told the BBC. “Microsoft needs a legal basis to record and redisplay user’s personal information,” he added.

The tool may pose a risk to the user in a wide variety of scenarios. Prints can save private photos without permission, record sensitive data (e.g. full names and passwords) during normal use, and much more.

Putting data at risk

Moreover, A recall can also serve as a full plate for unwanted visitors.. A person only needs to know your computer’s password or access the already unlocked computer to check everything you did in the last session, including screenshots of your activities.

This function also poses a danger to corporate computers. The information contained on the machine may be confidential to a particular company, and recording it on automatic prints may increase the possibility of leaks.

The results of the ICO complaints to Microsoft are still a mystery, but it’s possible that this will mean a change in the use of the tool, such as improved options regarding automatic prints and more obvious ways to turn off the feature.

In every situation, Microsoft claims user has granular control over captures. Recall does not record the screen during private browsing in Microsoft Edge (the support article only mentions Microsoft’s browser), and DRM-protected material does not appear in screenshots either.

However The company reports that Recall does not conduct any content moderation from screenshots. The tool does not hide passwords or credit card data, for example. All prints are stored locally, though.