The secure messaging app Signal has issued an update that guards against the controversial Windows 11 Copilot Recall feature grabbing screenshots of conversations.
The desktop version of the app now includes a “screen security” feature that’ll cut Recall off at the pass and stop it capturing screenshots of Signal chats.
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The feature is enabled by default so you’ll actually have to turn it off if you’re cool with Recall doing what Recall’s “photographic memory” does. Righteous.
“If you’re wondering why we’re only implementing this on Windows right now, it’s because the purpose of this setting is to protect your Signal messages from Microsoft Recall,” the company states forthrightly. Right on, man.
The company described why Recall had caused such a backlash, which I also reported on here, here, here, here, and here. Yes, I’ve been across this one, chaps.
It did acknowledge that Microsoft has made some adjustments to allay the security concerns, but says the risks to Signal users hasn’t been fully addressed.
“Although Microsoft made several adjustments over the past twelve months in response to critical feedback, the revamped version of Recall still places any content that’s displayed within privacy-preserving apps like Signal at risk,” the blog post adds.
“As a result, we are enabling an extra layer of protection by default on Windows 11 in order to help maintain the security of Signal Desktop on that platform even though it introduces some usability trade-offs. Microsoft has simply given us no other option.”
Opinion
Unfortunately you’ll just see a blank signal app window rather than the tidy graffiti you’ll see above, but good on Signal for continuing to protect its users from Microsoft’s AI’s flagrant disregard for privacy for the sake of an AI arms race no-one… and I’ll keep saying this… no-one asked for.
