Microsoft's Recall: Useful feature or a privacy nightmare?

The TV show Black Mirror grabbed eyeballs when it released uncanny episodes portraying the "dark side of technology". Being reminded of this show, Tesla owner Elon Musk believes this new Microsoft feature seems similar to a Black Mirror episode, hinting at his dislike for the feature.

If you have not heard about it, we are talking about a new AI feature called "Recall" that was revealed recently. Here is all you should know about Microsoft Recall.

All about Microsoft Recall

As the software giant is holding their biggest developer conference Microsoft Build 2024, they are introducing exciting new additions to their operating system. This week, Satya Nadella unveiled a new tool named "Recall" that will keep track of user activity, including taking screenshots of the screen and storing it in the device.

Anything can be retrieved through this tool be it websites, images, apps visited, documents, live meetings attended and more. If you want to search previous videos or live conferences, Recall comes with Live Captions that translate speech in real-time and store it for you. All of this information can be accessed in a scrollable timeline.

In short, Recall can be a beneficial tool if you tend to keep looking at histories or accidentally close an important app or browser tab. However, this is not entirely a new feature as Microsoft had rolled out a similar tool called "Timeline" for Windows 10 but it was discounted in 2021. This bizarre concept is also parallel to a Mac app named "Rewind AI" which records everything on the device.

Returning to Recall, it will be part of the Windows 11 system for a seamless experience. This feature is available on Copilot + PCs- a new AI hardware integrated computer having Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips. Moreover, at least 256 GB of storage space is required as Recall eats 25 GB by default to store 3 months of user activity but this can be extended or decreased as per preference.

Privacy assurance by Microsoft

Microsoft said that all data stored in the device is private to the user and only available on the device. Another relief is that Recall logs can be deleted, paused or stopped altogether. If you want certain apps or websites can be excluded from the sight of Recall.

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But the utmost important thing to note is that Recall can capture screenshots of sensitive information like financial data and passwords, so users need to be VERY mindful of what is being recorded by this tool. However, private browsing and protected content are not tracked by Microsoft Recall.

But if a person's device gets hacked, Recall can turn into an alarming cyber issue as they could access how the PC was used.

Elon Musk's take on Microsoft's Recall feature

Billionaire Elon Musk did not like the concept of Microsoft's new Recall tool. In fact, he believes it seems like an episode of Black Mirror. Musk reacted to a video where the Microsoft CEO explained the function of the Recall feature on Windows 11, he firmly stated that he would turn it off.

He took X to share his views stating "This is a Black Mirror episode. Definitely turning this 'feature' off." while adding excerpts from an interview of Satya Nadella where he talks about how Recall will take constant snapshots of user activities and have photographic memory.

Privacy concerns on Recall

In a world where a sea of AI tools and features are gushing while government regulators are still reviewing which of these are safe to use. But it is not just them but even businesses and people who are new to the concept of using AI responsibly.

Amidst the quick developments in this industry, AI professor at the University of Maryland Jen Golbeck thinks the Recall feature can turn into a nightmare if it goes into the wrong hands told CNN. Even the UK’s independent regulator for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) responded to CNN and said they are currently investigating this tool.

The takeaway

Whether Microsoft Recall will become a hit or a privacy loophole is a matter of the future. For now, users must handle and use this tool carefully by being mindful of what is being stored. To be safe, it is best to exclude apps or websites that showcase private data or financial information.