Apple Settles Siri Eavesdropping Case for $95 Million
Apple Settles : Apple, the technology behemoth that markets itself as a privacy protector, will pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit that said its voice assistant, Siri, deliberately recorded users’ conversations without their consent. The case has shined a light on practices around how tech companies handle user data and guarantee privacy.
Why Did the Lawsuit Happen?
The lawsuit claimed that Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, sometimes recorded conversations even if users did not trigger the voice activation feature. The audio, said to include private and sensitive information, could be heard, reportedly, by a party of a listener’s choosing. Then came reports that Apple allowed third-party contractors to listen to those recordings in an attempt to make Siri work better, which only compounded the problem.
The people who brought the lawsuit said that violated their privacy rights and Apple’s promise to protect user data.
Apple’s Position
Apple, which has denied any wrongdoing, agreed to pay $95 million to settle, avoiding a protracted court battle. The company contends it has always honored user privacy and has since taken additional measures to enhance protection.
What Will Apple Do Now?
To address those worries, Apple said Monday that it would take new steps to make Siri’s privacy settings better:
- Opt-in System: Users are now required to provide explicit permission for their recordings to be reviewed.
- Local Processing: Siri processes many requests locally on-device, rather than sending them to the cloud.
- Transparency: Apple made it easier to understand when data is owned.
What Does This Mean for Users?
For Apple users, this settlement may just be your opportunity for compensation if your data was compromised. No details on how to claim and the money have been released.
The case is also a lesson of how important it is to know how your devices use your data. You are advised to optimize your privacy settings regularly.
Steps to Protect Your Privacy With Siri
So what should you do to protect your privacy while using Siri or other virtual assistants?
- Permissions: Find out access to your data by different apps or devices.
- Disable Always-On Listening: If your device or app supports always-on listening, turn it off.
- Understand Privacy Settings: Understand how your device gathers and uses data.