Apple, widely recognized for its staunch stance on personal data protection, has recently issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to the privacy of interactions with Siri. This announcement comes at a particularly notable time as the company has just settled a lawsuit for $95 million initiated in 2019. The lawsuit accused Apple of illicitly recording conversations through Siri without user consent.
Siri: Built with Privacy in Mind
According to Apple, from its inception, Siri was designed with user data protection at its core. Furthermore, the company continues to assure that no data derived from interactions with Siri has ever been used for advertising or marketing purposes. Apple highlights its on-device data processing approach, which ensures that many requests such as reading messages or widget suggestions are handled directly on the user’s iPhone or iPad, without the data ever being sent to Apple’s servers (a notable contrast to generative AI technologies).
Apple also pointed out that when interactions with its servers are necessary, they occur anonymously using a random identifier that is not linked to the user’s Apple account. Additionally, audio recordings are only retained if users explicitly choose to share their data to enhance the service.
Enhanced Approach with Apple Intelligence
As AI continues to evolve, Apple is extending its privacy principles to other services like Apple Intelligence, which processes complex data to deliver personalized experiences. For scenarios that require more advanced models, the company employs a technology known as Private Cloud Compute
. This technology maintains privacy while leveraging cloud capabilities to provide intelligent responses.
Lessons from a Costly Lawsuit
The lawsuit filed in 2019 claimed that Siri was recording conversations without consent, and these recordings were allegedly shared with third parties, sometimes used for advertising targeting. Apple denies any breach of privacy rules, but agreed to pay $95 million to settle the matter once and for all. The specifics on how affected users can claim part of this sum have yet to be detailed.
With this announcement, Apple aims to rebuild user trust while showcasing its data protection innovations. While this reminder about Siri’s privacy practices is reassuring, it also underscores the need for tech companies to maintain high standards in response to growing user expectations.
Siri Eavesdropping Issue: Apple Settles for… 95 Million Dollars
