This is shocking, even if not unexpected or a surprise…our technologies are always listening, selling us out even when they say to us, “We may be listening but your data is safe with us.”
Apple has agreed to pay $95M to resolve a decade-long lawsuit, accusing its virtual assistant, Siri, of listening to and recording users' conversations, without permission, and handing that information over to third-party advertisers (an accusation Google is also currently facing).
The lawsuit states that Siri was recording confidential conversations without being activated by its wake word “Hey Siri,” but instead by things like a zipper, a specific movement of an Apple Watch, or hearing a voice.
Apple would allegedly share these conversations with third-party advertisers, who would then show users tailored ads for products or services that aligned with these confidential conversations.
Users who owned an Apple device from 17th September 2014 to 31st December 2024, could receive up to $20 per device if they inadvertently activated Siri “during a conversation intended to be confidential.”
These** allegations contradict Apple’s longstanding commitment to privacy**, with CEO, Tim Cook, previously describing it as “a fundamental human right,” and although the $95M settlement is a mere drop in Apple’s ocean (having made over $705B since 2014), they have refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing.
via The AI Report
At this point, if it’s got a microphone, it’s eavesdropping on everything we say. I’m not surprised…I’m not even disappointed. Now, where did I put my sledgehammer?