Apple Refutes Claims of Using Siri Data for Advertising
In a recent statement, Apple has firmly denied allegations that it uses data collected through its virtual assistant, Siri, for advertising purposes. The tech giant emphasized its commitment to user privacy and data protection, clarifying that Siri data is neither used to create marketing profiles nor sold to third parties.
This denial comes in the wake of renewed speculation following Apple’s $95 million settlement of a lawsuit related to Siri recordings potentially being overheard by human employees. The controversy initially stemmed from a 2019 report by The Guardian, which raised concerns about privacy issues surrounding Siri recordings.
In response to the 2019 revelations, Apple issued an apology and implemented significant policy changes. The company altered its default settings to no longer retain audio recordings from Siri interactions. While users can still opt-in to share recordings, these are no longer accessible to third-party contractors.
The recent lawsuit that sparked the latest round of rumors alleged that users observed targeted advertisements appearing after mentioning specific brand names near their devices. However, Apple maintains that it does not retain Siri audio recordings unless users explicitly opt-in, and even then, the data is used solely for improving Siri’s performance.
Apple’s stance on Siri data usage aligns with its broader privacy-focused approach. The company asserts that users have full control over their data and can opt-out of sharing at any time.
This incident is not isolated to Apple, as similar theories have been addressed by tech giants like Facebook and Google in the past. While investigations have found no evidence of microphone spying, concerns persist about apps potentially recording on-screen activity and sharing it with third parties.
Experts suggest alternative explanations for seemingly targeted ads, including data tracking across shared networks or locations, information gathered by data brokers, and the use of external data sources by major tech companies to enhance user profiles.
As the debate over digital privacy continues, Apple’s latest statement reaffirms its position on protecting user data, particularly in the realm of voice-activated technology.
