Blog | Microsoft Recall: You Must Be Able to Remove It to Survive

When you go into Windows 11 Settings, you will see a list of installed apps. These include apps related to core Windows functions such as Cortana and Copilot. You can delete any software you don’t like with a single click.

But unlike what was once a hot topic on the internet, Microsoft Recall is not so easy to remove. Recall is an AI-based feature that captures screenshots of everything you do on your PC, and it’s unlikely to be removed even after it’s been released (or ever).

But given Microsoft’s efforts to tie Windows 11 to security and privacy, recalls should also be removable.

Microsoft Recall is a double-edged sword. AI-based search can greatly reduce the burden on users to track their digital footprints. Recall analyzes screenshots of the sites they visit, the information they search for, and the files they work on, helping them easily find that sourdough bread recipe they forgot to bookmark or the flight information their spouse sent them.

However, the screenshots captured in this process run the risk of providing others with very specific information about your life. This can be a goldmine of information for hackers and malicious parties, and can pose an even greater risk to those in an abusive relationship.

Microsoft revised its initial plan after hearing privacy and security concerns raised when it first announced the recall in May. It promised that the recall would be disabled by default and that screenshots would be encrypted so that they could only be accessed when searching. The feature’s wide release was also delayed and is still available to Windows Insiders, who are still testing it.

However, when the option to delete recalls was shown in the preview version of Windows 11, Microsoft said that this Unintended bugand the rumors about the recall soon disappeared. DisableYou can, but you can’t completely eliminate it.

This is disappointing. A fundamentally secure PC is supposed to ensure that data is not passed on to undesirable parties. If Microsoft is going to open the possibility of providing this information to third parties, it should also provide an option to block it completely. PC security threats are ongoing today, and the number and scope of phishing attacks are increasing. Recall is a potential vulnerability that can be reactivated or exploited at any time unless the feature is completely removed. An option to remove Recall would fundamentally eliminate this vulnerability.

Of course, the line between futuristic technology and security is sometimes very thin. Technology companies can’t afford to undermine their products so much that they become useless, but they can take a more cautious approach that allows them to realize sci-fi technologies while protecting users from malicious intent. Offering the option to remove a feature is a way to keep it for those who want it, while still giving those who don’t want it the option to remove it.

For now, the best the public can hope for is that the recall will be treated like Konata and Copilot, with the hope that the recall will be so heavily enforced on all Windows users that no one will use it. Eventually, the recall will likely be ignored and disappear. In the end, neither the forward-thinking nor the wary will get what they want.
editor@itworld.co.kr