Protect Your Privacy By Turning Off OneDrive AI
As a standard, tech companies like to have their analytics and AI settings in the on position (opt-in) and hope the end user doesn’t bother to check their settings. OneDrive is the Microsoft cloud storage service offering for file backup, file sharing, and photo storage, and has AI settings turned on by default. Microsoft OneDrive is a popular solution because it is integrated into Windows 11 and Microsoft Office 365, plus an app for iOS and Android. This post will review the OneDrive settings and show you how to turn off (opt out of) Microsoft OneDrive AI.
Why Do You Want To Turn Off The AI Features
By now, most people on social media have heard about Facebook user Kalie Robins and how FB’s AI features identified one of her children from an innocent video she posted online. For those who haven’t seen the video, this is something you should see. Especially if you post pictures/videos of your kids on social media.
Ultimately, FB did respond to the situation, saying, “They missed the mark with their AI feature”.
Here is the thing with technology companies, especially ones that are global. You are at their mercy; there is no local office you can walk into, and there really isn’t an easy way to contact someone for tech support. When you put your information (documents, pictures, or anything else) in “the cloud,” you can only hope that the company you are giving your information to DOESN’T MISS THE MARK with your information.
The fact that any company says that your data is secure, or that no one else sees your data, or that your data can be removed, is you believing in good faith. Once your data is out of your hands and in the cloud, anything can happen to it now or in the future. Just ask all of the people who flew on (the former) Spirit Airlines. I don’t think any of those people ever thought, “Cool, my airline information will end up with Google,” but that’s exactly what happened when Spirit shut down after going bankrupt and sold all of their customers’ data to Google. Reports say, “A third party will remove personally identifiable information before the transfer, but how do you really know. Will they offer people who sent 100 million emails / 500 million chats the opportunity to watch their individually identifiable information removed?
The Microsoft OneDrive AI Settings
The following steps will allow you to access the Microsoft OneDrive settings via either the website or app to turn off AI settings.
Via the Microsoft website
- Visit the Microsoft OneDrive site – https://onedrive.live.com
- From the top right corner, click on the wheel next to your picture -> then click on Settings in the box that opens
In the window that opens -> click on Photos on the left-hand side.
- From here, turn off both Photo tagging and the People section.
On Android
- From the OneDrive App, click on your picture on the top left -> then select Settings -> Privacy and Permissions
In the window that opens, turn off all 4 sections.
On iPhone/iPad
- From the OneDrive App, click on your picture (top left) -> select Settings
-> In the window that opens -> Turn off
- Photo Tagging
- People Section
- AI Title For Moments
While there, make sure to turn on
- File Name Extensions***
***File Name extensions will tell you if the item you are opening is a picture (.jpg, .png, .bmp) or a Word/Excel or other document (.docx, .xlsx, .pdf). If you see a strange extension that doesn’t look right, don’t open the file until you confirm the extension.
Final Thoughts
By adding tags and names, you are giving Microsoft information about you, your family, and your friends. Microsoft says, “No one at Microsoft views your images without your permission”. However, they added and turned on these AI settings without telling you. In the future, who can say they won’t add a setting that allows them to view your information without telling you? Even worse, no one can say that a hacker won’t find a way into their systems, which are outside of your control, and end up with the data that you provided.
