On Wednesday, Apple released a statement emphasizing the importance of protecting consumer data processed by Siri. It was made public days after the Cupertino-based tech company settled a potential class action lawsuit alleging that it had secretly recorded users’ chats with the virtual assistant and sold such recordings to advertisers and other third parties. The iPhone manufacturer stressed in its statement that it never used data processed during conversations with Siri. The business went on to explain how Siri takes data security very seriously.
Apple Refutes Claims of Selling Siri User Data
Apple has emphasized its commitment to privacy in a recent press release, highlighting the core principles of data minimization, on-device intelligence, transparency, and privacy technologies embedded in all its products and services. While the company did not directly address the pending class action lawsuit, it addressed the key concerns raised by the complainants.
Also, Apple clarified that Siri data has never been used to create marketing profiles, sold to third parties, or made available for advertising purposes. The tech giant reassured users of its dedication to continuously enhancing Siri’s privacy features.
In its statement, Apple outlined several privacy measures incorporated into Siri’s design to safeguard user data. Notably, Siri processes most requests directly on the device, ensuring data remains secure. For instance, when users ask Siri to read messages or provide widget suggestions, the content is retained on the device, with no need for external storage.
Additionally, Apple highlighted that its latest smartphones, equipped with the Neural Engine, can process audio requests locally. Siri only records audio when users grant permission, helping to improve the service.
The company also stressed that it minimizes the amount of data collected for requests. When real-time processing from Apple servers is required, Siri collects less data, and queries are not linked to a user’s Apple account. Instead, a random identifier is used to process data on the server.
Lastly, Apple introduced new Siri features powered by Apple Intelligence and its Private Cloud Compute. Data stored on Apple’s cloud servers is kept only as long as necessary to process the request, and no data is accessible to Apple.
