Microsoft’s Windows Recall feature is attracting controversy before even venturing out of preview.

Microsoft said in its FAQs that its snapshotting feature will vacuum up sensitive information: “Recall does not perform content moderation. It will not hide information such as passwords or financial account numbers. That data may be in snapshots stored on your device, especially when sites do not follow standard internet protocols like cloaking password entry.”

Mozilla’s Chief Product Officer Steve Teixeira told The Register: "Mozilla is concerned about Windows Recall. From a browser perspective, some data should be saved, and some shouldn’t.

Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, noted that while the feature is not on by default, its use “opens up another avenue for criminals to attack.”

Moore warned that “users should be mindful of allowing any content to be analysed by AI algorithms for a better experience.”

Cybersecurity expert Kevin Beaumont was scathing in his assessment of the technology, writing: “In essence, a keylogger is being baked into Windows as a feature.”

AI expert Gary Marcus was blunter: “F^ck that. I don’t want my computer to spy on everything I ever do.”

  • CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    I just don’t believe them. And even if it works as described, they’ll change the terms quietly to screw you as soon as they need the next quarters line to go up. I’m tired of watching their every move to protect myself.

    • prole
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      6 months ago

      Linux is easier and more manageable than you think. Not to be the Lemmy stereotype…

      I’m actually rather new to Linux, but my experience has been great and it feels amazing to be free of Microsoft bullshit (outside of my work laptop ugh)

      • CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Been using it as my daily driver for a couple months now. And even though my day job involves Microsoft servers and enterprise applications, I’ve become an anti Microsoft advocate when it comes to consumer OS stuff.

    • tulth
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      6 months ago

      I don’t believe them either. I watched the talk video, and there are some serious weasel words around local processing. Something like “the promise is this could be processed locally”