Microsoft has confirmed a controversial new characteristic coming to Groups that may routinely reveal worker work areas by detecting which Wi-Fi networks they connect with elevating vital issues about office surveillance and hybrid work insurance policies.
The characteristic, documented in Microsoft’s 365 Roadmap and Admin Centre (Message ID MC1081568), will routinely set customers’ work location after they connect with their organisation’s Wi-Fi networks or mapped workplace peripherals.
Initially scheduled for January 2026, Microsoft has twice delayed the rollout first to February, then to March 2026 although no official cause was supplied for the postponement.
The characteristic is now anticipated to start rolling out in early March 2026 and full deployment by mid-March.
The replace applies completely to Groups for Home windows desktop and Groups for Mac desktop platforms.
How the Characteristic Works
When workers connect with company Wi-Fi, Groups will routinely replace their work location to replicate the particular constructing they’re working in.
Conversely, when customers should not related to organizational networks, this absence shall be seen, successfully exposing distant work preparations that will violate hybrid insurance policies.
Microsoft has applied a number of guardrails: the characteristic is not going to replace location info after working hours, and work location information shall be cleared on the finish of every workday.
Nonetheless, these protections might supply restricted reassurance to workers involved about surveillance, as reported by Forbes.
Whereas Microsoft emphasizes that the characteristic “shall be off by default” and requires consumer opt-in, the important resolution rests with tenant directors who management whether or not to allow the characteristic and mandate worker participation.
This administrative override considerably undermines the voluntary nature of the system.
Microsoft states the characteristic “requires admin configuration” and is positioned as an elective instrument to enhance location accuracy.
Customers can theoretically select whether or not to share their work location with coworkers, although organizational strain might restrict real selection.
The controversy facilities on what Dr. Kate Barker, Chief Futurist at NEOM, describes as “a referendum on belief in hybrid work”.
Whereas automated location setting reduces guide administrative burden what Barker calls “coordination tax” it concurrently introduces surveillance mechanisms that would rework from collaboration instruments into attendance enforcement programs.
UC As we speak warns that enterprises should outline “function, entry, and acceptable use” earlier than deployment, noting that information collected for collaboration can drift into efficiency administration or inside investigations.
With out clear governance frameworks, the characteristic dangers creating office friction fairly than lowering it.
Organizations implementing this functionality ought to set up cross-functional insurance policies involving IT, HR, office groups, and safety to find out applicable use instances and express limitations.
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