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Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

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Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#11

Post by jadamson »

Svip wrote: post #4
jadamson wrote: post #2

I'm curious about the last paragraph relating to Signal. How, exactly, have Brave managed this without also blocking screenshots? Is there a flag Signal missed?

According to the same paragraph, it's because Signal isn't a "browser app": > Given that Windows doesn’t let non-browser apps granularly disable Recall, Signal cleverly uses the DRM flag on their app to disable all screenshots. (emphasis mine) Apparently, Microsoft consider browsers special: > While it’s heartening that Microsoft recognizes that Web browsers are especially privacy-sensitive applications, we hope they…

Oops. Yeah, I shouldn't have missed that.

Still, does this mean Microsoft maintains an approved browser list for this? Would the various other less-known Chromium/Firefox forks be unable to take advantage of the same thing?

Edit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ai/recall/recall-w...

> To make sure that Recall doesn't save your user's browsing history while in modes like this, your app can use the SetInputScope function, setting the input scope to IS_PASSWORD.

> Your app must also have a http or https protocol handler registered before SetInputScope will support the behavior described in this article.

I now wonder if you can register a handler that never gets used since you won't be the default browser (and if you do end up as the default somehow, warn the user when called).

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#13

Post by diggan »

ritenuto wrote: post #7

Interestingly, the linked Recall docs[1] mention a way to filter apps and/or websites from being saved; however: > This setting applies only to Enterprise and Education editions of Windows. That limitation looks extremely impractical. [1]: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/...

I think what's only available in Enterprise/Education editions is the users ability to configure that filter themselves, while what Brave is doing should be available everywhere, where the application itself registers as a browser + what specific window is "sensitive" (which Brave registers all windows as, when the toggle is active). That's my understanding at least.

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#14

Post by delichon »

> We tell the operating system that every Brave tab is ‘private’, so Recall never captures it.

Without this loophole Recall could take pix of password managers and other such sensitive windows. So it doesn't seem closeable without per app exceptions.

But privacy is a bug on a school laptop used by a child. Brave could have a toggle on the feature if it wants to serve that market.

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#15

Post by diggan »

There was a flurry of FOSS and local-first alternatives appearing when Recall was first announced (and more afterwards too), did anyone here end up using any of them and found them good enough? I remember trying one or two but most were basically hacks/prototypes at that point, I'm guessing at this point at least one of them developed enough to actually work well for daily use?

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#16

Post by LooseMarmoset »

jabjq wrote: post #8
LooseMarmoset wrote: post #3

Who, exactly, is clamoring for Recall in the first place? And who is to say that Microsoft will honor the toggle, “for analytic and performance metric” purposes? EDIT: the rant above shouldn’t cast aspersions on Brave, good on them for trying.

I think it’s a cool and potentially useful feature as long as it stays local.

“as long as it stays local”

i think we both know how that will go.

first, Microsoft will exfiltrate data for the purposes of performance and analytics, in scare quotes.

Next, they’ll do it in order to train copilot, in an unannounced update, and tell us this is a wonderful new feature.

Finally, they’ll bundle this data that they said would always remain local, and offer it for sale as training data, which government users will then buy, for obvious reasons. this will be done in the name of safety, and for the children.

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#17

Post by varbhat »

Until the time when Microsoft realises this and creates a privileged API just for Microsoft Recall so that It can see the screen.

Better switch to Linux. It's not perfect but I am sure that you will be fine using Linux(Unless you want to use Adobe Suite or Few Corporate applications which won't be used by many)

Re: Brave blocks Microsoft Recall by default

#20

Post by crinkly »

firesteelrain wrote: post #6
LooseMarmoset wrote: post #3

Who, exactly, is clamoring for Recall in the first place? And who is to say that Microsoft will honor the toggle, “for analytic and performance metric” purposes? EDIT: the rant above shouldn’t cast aspersions on Brave, good on them for trying.

It seems it enables Copilot to assist the user in finding things on their PC. Somehow find . -iname has worked for years in Linux without AI

They are where I put them. Never used a search function once like this.

Perhaps it’s because I lived in the days before search was even a thing.

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