The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is looking into Microsoft’s new feature which takes consistent screenshots of user’s devices every few seconds.

The new feature, Recall, will encrypt and store these screenshots on a person’s laptop, and will feature exclusively on its upcoming Copilot+ PCs which will feature Microsoft’s AI tools.

The UK’s data watchdog is contacting Microsoft for further details on the product’s safety, including queries on how this data is stored and how easy it is for others to access.

Microsoft says that users can limit the types of screenshots Recall can take, including excluding certain websites from being captured. According to the company, it is an optional experience.

“Recall data is only stored locally and not accessed by Microsoft or anyone who does not have device access,” the firm said in a statement.

In order to access the snapshots, a person would need to access the physical device these are stored on, and bypass any security controls such as device log ins.

Recall was created to help users find and remember things they have seen online, similar to a photographic memory. It would let users search through their history for past searches and images they have seen in more natural language.

But privacy experts have larger concerns around how accessible this locally stored data is.

While users may be able to control what Recall can screenshot, they may also avoid opening certain documents or visiting certain websites on their devices all to avoid having this information photographed.

Cyber experts are concerned on what Microsoft’s technology will look like in practice.

“This is basically spyware,” Kevin Robertson, COO and co-founder of Acumen said.

“It’s good to see the ICO carrying out this investigation, but it’s unlikely to make any real difference. Microsoft is too big and too powerful to be brought down. They’ll just say its optional and it’ll get implemented anyway. Most users will turn it on without realising the impact or it will be on by default.

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“How on earth can Microsoft even think about calling itself a security company with features like Recall? This is going to get abused on so many levels.

“Imagine your PC taking screenshots of you putting in passwords, bank details etc, all just stored on your PC. If your PC is compromised, or if that info is shared into Copilot etc., it’s just liable to abuse.

“This will be the next Microsoft ‘feature’ to hit the news when it’s exploited in a major way.”