Apple Denies Using Siri Data for Targeted Advertising
Apple recently refuted rumors that it uses Siri data for building marketing profiles and serving targeted ads. In a post published on January 8, Apple emphasized its commitment to user privacy, especially when it comes to Siri.
The tech giant clarified that it has never used Siri data for advertising purposes, nor has it sold it to anyone. This statement comes in response to a lawsuit settled last week, where Apple was accused of eavesdropping on private conversations via Siri on iPhones and other devices since 2014.
In 2019, reports surfaced that quality assurance auditors heard snippets of personal conversations and even intimate moments while listening to Siri recordings. Apple quickly changed its policies to ensure user privacy.
The lawsuit also alleged that Apple shared data from Siri recordings with advertisers for targeted ads based on users’ conversations. Plaintiffs claimed they received ads for products they had discussed, like Olive Garden and Air Jordans, attributing it to unintentional Siri recordings.
Despite the settlement, Apple maintains its innocence and states that Siri processes as much data on-device as possible. The company only uses data from Siri interactions to improve the service, and users must explicitly opt-in for their recordings to be used for this purpose.
This incident is reminiscent of Facebook’s denial in 2017 regarding targeted ads based on recorded conversations. While tech giants continue to assure users of their privacy practices, incidents like these raise concerns about data security and user consent.
Written by: Omid Armin
