TechTalk: Presence Sensing Devices
 | Author:
Victor Sample
Vic Sample: MT43 News Treasurer |
TechTalk: Presence Sensing Devices Victor Sample More and more computing devices (PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones) have built-in devices that can be used as Presence Sensing Devices. For instance, the webcam built into your laptop can be used to detect whether you are actually present; the microphone built into your devices can detect your breathing to tell if you are actually present; etc.
Microsoft Windows 11 is adding Presence Sensing APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to the operating system to allow your applications to interface with devices capable of sensing your presence. Lighting a screen, whether it’s a PC monitor, laptop screen, tablet screen or smartphone screen uses a lot of power. For battery-powered devices lighting the screen will put a heavy drain on your battery. These types of applications (Windows itself) might be used to automatically turn off your screen when you leave or to automatically turn it back on when you come back to your PC thereby saving power – especially battery-draining power.
However, presence sensing can be used to invade your privacy. Not only can your camera detect your presence it can spy on you. Your employer might use an application to track the amount of time you are actually working on your PC or laptop. Applications might secretly take pictures of you and send them to an outside source.
To help control and protect your security Microsoft will be including a “Presence Sensing” privacy switch that allows you to list the applications using the presence sensing interfaces and turn off the ability to use those interfaces. Of course, Microsoft promises to NEVER invade your privacy.
The privacy settings will allow you to control the applications using the official Microsoft interfaces. However, applications can detect and directly access the presence-sensing devices without using the official Microsoft interfaces. They cannot be controlled via the “Presence Sensing” settings.
The new interfaces and “Presence Sensing settings” are being beta tested right now – so only those users that are registered to be beta testers or early release users have them. But, if the testing goes well Microsoft will likely include the features in a future update of Windows 11.
Remember to safeguard your privacy and security at all times – always be cautious!
