Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging its voice assistant, Siri, secretly recorded users’ conversations without their consent. While the tech giant denies any wrongdoing, the settlement raises significant questions about the privacy practices of voice assistants and the extent of data collection in the tech industry.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, claimed Siri was prone to accidental activation, capturing private conversations ranging from mundane discussions to sensitive medical consultations. These recordings were allegedly shared with third parties, potentially leading to targeted advertising based on private information.
Plaintiffs described unsettling experiences, such as receiving ads for products they had only discussed privately. This fueled concerns that our conversations, once considered sacred and private, are now vulnerable to digital eavesdropping.
Apple maintains that Siri recordings were never intentionally collected or shared without consent. However, the company has agreed to delete all recordings made before October 2019 and provide clearer instructions to users about data sharing for Siri improvements.
While $95 million may seem like a hefty sum, it represents a mere nine hours of profit for the tech behemoth. This raises questions about whether the settlement is enough to deter future privacy violations and whether stronger regulatory measures are needed.
This case is not an isolated incident. A similar lawsuit against Google’s Voice Assistant is pending, highlighting the broader issue of voice assistant privacy and the potential for unintended data collection.
The settlement serves as a wake-up call for users and the tech industry alike. It underscores the importance of:
- Increased Transparency: Tech companies must be more upfront about their data collection practices and provide users with clear and concise information about how their data is used.
- Enhanced User Control: Users should have greater control over their data and the ability to easily opt-out of data collection or sharing.
- Stronger Regulations: Governments and regulatory bodies need to establish stricter guidelines for voice assistant technology to ensure user privacy is protected. Â
As voice assistants become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial to strike a balance between technological advancement and the protection of individual privacy. This settlement is a step towards greater accountability, but the conversation about voice assistant privacy is far from over. Sources and related content
Source: https://sea.ign.com/news/223671/apple-agrees-to-pay-95-million-or-about-9-hours-of-profit–to-settle-siri-listening-class-action-law