News Total Recall: the only Copilot+ AI feature that matters is a huge privacy risk

[35below0]

Is this "on" by default or does the user need to turn it on? If it is on can the user turn it off?
My understanding is the user has to turn it on. Is that correct? If not turned on is there still a security risk?

It's not even out yet.

"To access a suite of new AI features in an upcoming build of Windows 11, you'll need a processor with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that capable of hitting 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second)."

"Recall, on the other hand, offers a feature that you can't get in Windows right now. When enabled, it takes a screenshot, called a "snap," every few seconds — of your entire desktop. You can then open Recall and query the content of your images or scroll through your timeline to remind you of what you were doing."

There's a way to try it out without a NPU, for those interested.

It may be on by default in new installations of Win 11, but so are many other things you can turn off (and probably should, just for sanity). Or maybe it will start off and Windows will nag you to try it.

 

[slightnitpick]

Or maybe it will start off and Windows will nag you to try it.

These sorts of things are pernicious because at some point you accidentally click "try it" instead of "dismiss", the nags disappear, and you think it's just gotten the hint that you don't want it instead of actually being on in the background.

I've had the same happen with a policy change arbitration agreement forfeiting my rights to sue. It just kept nagging me, not taking "no" for an answer, and I accidentally clicked accept at some point.

It should be a requirement that these things accept no for an answer, and also require a second click verification of the initial yes/no answer.

 

[35below0]

These sorts of things are pernicious because at some point you accidentally click "try it" instead of "dismiss", the nags disappear, and you think it's just gotten the hint that you don't want it instead of actually being on in the background.

I've had the same happen with a policy change arbitration agreement forfeiting my rights to sue. It just kept nagging me, not taking "no" for an answer, and I accidentally clicked accept at some point.

It should be a requirement that these things accept no for an answer, and also require a second click verification of the initial yes/no answer.

I do agree, but it's not like you can accidentally and invisibly install Office or this Recall thing.

 

[slightnitpick]

I do agree, but it's not like you can accidentally and invisibly install Office or this Recall thing.

🤞

 

[dclark064]

It's not even out yet.

"To access a suite of new AI features in an upcoming build of Windows 11, you'll need a processor with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that capable of hitting 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second)."

"Recall, on the other hand, offers a feature that you can't get in Windows right now. When enabled, it takes a screenshot, called a "snap," every few seconds — of your entire desktop. You can then open Recall and query the content of your images or scroll through your timeline to remind you of what you were doing."

There's a way to try it out without a NPU, for those interested.

It may be on by default in new installations of Win 11, but so are many other things you can turn off (and probably should, just for sanity). Or maybe it will start off and Windows will nag you to try it.

I see commentary that Windows 11 is a "huge privacy risk" and people should be moving to Macs to avoid "spyware". It seems to me that if the user does not want to take the risk, just turn it off, or refuse to turn it on.