- Privacy activists are concerned about the recall feature of Microsoft's new Copilot+ PC.
- The UK's data watchdog has also contacted Microsoft about the feature.
- Microsoft says the recall feature is optional and that the data is only stored locally.
Privacy activists are sounding the alarm about a recall feature included in Microsoft's upcoming Copilot+ PC.
The Recall feature, which Microsoft likens to giving your PC a “photographic memory,” takes screenshots of your laptop every few seconds. The snapshots are encrypted, and Microsoft says users can choose which snapshots Recall collects. The feature can also be turned off.
The feature has already caught the attention of the UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office, which is “working with Microsoft to understand the safeguards in place to protect user privacy,” a spokesperson told Business Insider.
A spokesman said: “We expect organisations to be transparent with users about how they use their data, and to only process personal data to the extent necessary to fulfil specified purposes. Industry must consider data protection from the start, and rigorously assess and mitigate risks to people's rights and freedoms before bringing products to market.”
A Microsoft representative did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, made outside of regular working hours.
But the company told the BBC that the recall feature was an “optional experience” and that Microsoft was focused on privacy and security.
“Recall data is only stored locally and is not accessible to Microsoft or anyone without access to the device,” Microsoft told the media.
The new feature has also attracted attention from privacy experts.
Chris Shlisiak, an AI and privacy advisor, told the BBC that the feature could be a “privacy nightmare.”
“The very fact that screenshots are being taken while the device is in use can have a chilling effect on people,” he said.
Several social media users also shared Shrishak's concerns.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also commented on the new feature, calling it an “episode of Black Mirror” in a post on X, adding that he plans to turn it off.
