Microsoft's Controversial Recall Scraper is Finally Entering Public Preview
- Reference: 0175523839
- News link: https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/11/22/206216/microsofts-controversial-recall-scraper-is-finally-entering-public-preview
- Source link:
Recall, which continuously captures and indexes screenshots and text for later search, now includes mandatory encryption, opt-in activation, and Windows Hello authentication. The feature requires Secure Boot, BitLocker encryption, and attempts to automatically mask sensitive data like passwords and credit card numbers. The feature is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs equipped with neural processing units for local AI processing.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/11/microsofts-controversial-recall-scraper-is-finally-entering-public-preview/
[2] https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/06/14/0318213/microsoft-postpones-windows-recall-after-major-backlash
originally withdrawn due to security concerns (Score:5, Informative)
The security concerns are still there...
Anyway, how do we disable this co-pilot thing?
Re:originally withdrawn due to security concerns (Score:4, Insightful)
It says its opt-in, and hopefully it'll stay that way.
But, even so - my big concern is when someone (or multiple someones) in leadership start opting themselves in, followed by the eventual and inevitable exposure of sensitive information (and likely exploitation of the info) through this Recall feature. If you do IT for a living, at a minimum you should probably CYA and express your concerns to leadership... because when it happens, they're coming back to you (since it can't possibly be THEIR fault right?).
Re: (Score:3)
> It says its opt-in, and hopefully it'll stay that way.
"I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further."
Not a great position to put oneself in.
Oh good! It requires an AI chip? (Score:2)
> The feature will initially be available only on Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Plus Copilot+ PCs running Windows...
No AI chip, no problem. I don't think personal AI PCs are gonna sell as well as the marketers think.
Re: (Score:2)
I remain happy that my TuboTax VM "doesn't qualify" for Windows 11.
Re: (Score:1)
My guess...it will be less popular than 3D TVs.
hardware requirements (Score:4)
Great reason to stay on older hardware!
Re: (Score:2)
This. 100%. I literally only built a new system last year because I wanted to play a new game coming out. If you aren't a PC gamer (most aren't) you would be perfectly fine on 10 year old hardware.
Sure, if you are doing video editing or major software development you could benefit from a new machine, but most people are just web browsing, emailing and maybe some office software. None of that remotely needs anything more powerful then what I had 10 years ago.
Re: hardware requirements (Score:2)
"If you aren't a PC gamer (most aren't)"
Depends on how you define gamer. Over 50% of Americans play video games, and games have always been one of the biggest drivers of the PC platform.
Opt-in Activation... (Score:4, Interesting)
...for now. The day that this becomes a mandatory "feature" (and we all know that day will come, and it will come soon) is the day I permanently switch to Linux.
Re:Opt-in Activation... (Score:5, Informative)
Why wait? I moved my entire family, including parents, aunts, uncles, etc. to Linux Mint and they didn't miss a beat. If fact, they prefer Linux. People yell about games but Steam has made a lot of Windows only games run fine on Linux. If you can, build a new machine with Linux only, no dual boot garbage, and force yourself to lean the OS. I bought Linux for Beginners: An Introduction to the Linux Operating System and Command Line[Kindle Edition] for $3 and over a weekend was proficient with the OS. Go for it!
Re: (Score:2)
Completely agree on the "no dual boot garbage". Instead of researching and learning new ways of doing things I would often fall victim to booting back into Windows because it was familiar. It wasn't until I ditched Windows completely that Linux became much friendlier. It's a change, a big change for sure, but one you may want to consider given Microsoft's complete lack of sense and insistence on monetizing and spying on your personal life. "Opt-In" only lasts as long as the latest EULA revision.
Re:Opt-in Activation... (Score:4, Insightful)
You probably also said this when...
* ...Windows started returning all kinds of information about you to their servers (metrics).
* ...Microsoft started sabotaging Chrome.
* ...Microsoft thought it a good idea to insert ads in Windows.
* ...Microsoft started introducing annoying full screen upgrade ads.
* ...Microsoft required a Microsoft account in order to use your OS.
* ...Microsoft required TPM 2.0 for you to run their OS.
In each situation you did not quit Windows. Many, many, people say the same thing you do, and then end up doing exactly nothing.
Do you understand that I call bullshit on your statement?
Re: Opt-in Activation... (Score:2)
That's a good reason not to use a Mac, but what does it have to do with Linux?
Re: Opt-in Activation... (Score:1)
I have two laptops. Linux for (software) development and Windows for generic use.
If it's practical for you to switch to Linux (Score:2)
Why don't you switch now? Why wait?
The answer is Microsoft knows perfectly well that you can and will suck it down. All of us will.
The only way you actually stop something like this is with laws and we are not going to get any laws that go against what a corporation wants for a minimum of 4 years. Like the old saying goes, elections have consequences.
I don't think there's any stopping this because the monetary value of using our data to train AI to replace ourselves is just too high. It's wort
Re: (Score:2)
> Why don't you switch now? Why wait?
Because the options aren't good enough yet?
From time to time I do a test with the most used or most recent linux distributions to see if I could migrate to them, and the answer so far has been “no”. Fragmentation, myriad small problems that depend on looking for help in obscure forums and browsing through pages and pages of obsolete “documentation”, You can talk all you want about Windows (and you'll probably be right) but it's still unbeatable in the part that matters most, whic
Re: (Score:2)
Yep.
Try using any kind of 'recent' technology (like HDR) and you're probably entirely SOL or at best might be able to get to some superfragile temporarily semiworking setup after hours, days or weeks of headaches.
I love Linux as a server OS, but for a desktop OS there are many time and headache saving reasons to run Windows.
Re: If it's practical for you to switch to Linux (Score:2)
"You can talk all you want about Windows (and you'll probably be right) but it's still unbeatable in the part that matters most, which is making your applications work consistently and in a consistent environment (although with Windows 11 you're slowly losing that)."
Even Microsoft applications don't work reliably and consistently on Windows, even on 10.
Re: (Score:2)
Speak for yourself. I've been running Linux full time since a year before win7 EOLed. If I need a windows only application, I have a vm instance of win11 but I've yet to use that once since I've set it up.
It has never been easier to run ANY operating system since so much of everything we do is in the browser and the browser doesn't care about the platform.
Furthermore, there is zero reason for the government to get involved in this. Zilch. Nada. Nope. You shouldn't be forcing software vendors to support an O
Re: (Score:2)
> ...for now. The day that this becomes a mandatory "feature" (and we all know that day will come, and it will come soon) is the day I permanently switch to Linux.
Before that day comes there will be a period in which they nag the crap out of you and try to trick you into using Recall, just as they do with Edge. Then they will activate it without telling you, yet allow you to deactivate it - by jumping through arcane hoops - once you figure out that they've been stealing your screen caps for however many days or weeks. Finally, when they've worn enough users down, it will be permanently activated and made mandatory.
So I suggest that you start getting your Linux ducks