Microsoft has been aggressively advertising its Copilot AI assistant lately. Windows 11 users recently reported seeing big QR codes on their lock screens. These QR codes lead people to a page where they can download the Copilot app for their phones.
It’s not the first time Microsoft has been caught using what some might call questionable ways to advertise on Windows. People have said bad things about them in the past for putting ads in the OneDrive Start menu, File Explorer, and even the taskbar. You can usually turn these ads off, but it’s becoming clear that Microsoft is looking for new ways to make money.
One terrible example is the fact that QR code ads appear on lock screens. There should be no one else who can see what’s on the screen besides the person who has permission to see it. By putting ads on the lock screen, Microsoft adds another way for hackers to get in.
Microsoft’s use of QR code ads on lock screens has some security issues. First, someone with bad intentions could make a fake QR code that looks like the real one. People who scan this fake QR code might be taken to a phishing site where their personal information is stolen.
Second, even if the QR code is real, someone can still look over the shoulder of someone who is scanning it. Public places like coffee shops and libraries might have trouble with this.
As you might expect, Microsoft will say that QR code ads are the same as any other kind of ads. Users are free to not care about them, after all. But these ads feel more bothersome and dangerous because they are on the lock screen, which is supposed to be a safe place.
It’s important to know that Microsoft has removed QR code ads from Windows lock screens since then. Their placement there in the first place, on the other hand, is a scary sign of things to come. Microsoft is likely to keep looking for new ways to advertise on Windows. Users will need to be careful to avoid the security risks that these ads may pose.
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