Apple Scrapped Plans to Let Users Use Siri to Make Purchases Due to Privacy Concerns

[dk001]

Google likely does not allow Siri to “read” the information without providing non-anonymous identifying information about the requester (unlike, say Wikipedia where Siri WILL read the content). The privacy isn’t in the result, its in the tasks required to obtain the results.

Could be however I get the same results from Siri even if I choose Bing or DDG.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

You can ask, however I am not sure that they have to provide 100% legally.

Legally, they do. If they provide an incomplete list, they’re accountable. That’s why it took so long for all the companies to get on board. They had to ensure all their internal processes could not only provide access to the data BUT also delete it easily upon request.

That said, I have dome this a few times and while Apple delivers a document, you have to assume it is 100% and you still do not know what Apple does with or is doing with this info.

So I haven’t done it, but you should be able to tell what they’re doing with the info by way of what the info is. Like if it’s songs and apps you’ve purchased, that’s likely to ensure you can redownload them, stuff like that.

And really, if you’re already not in the mind to trust anything Apple provides, how would them “imparting details” help in any way? “I don’t want the information that they give me, I want them to give me the information they’re NOT giving me!”

Still, I don’t see how a lot of this precludes Siri from being a far better PA especially in terms of looking up public information.

Public information like wiki OR other data provides they’re contracted with? Siri does that. Public information like Google, Google’s not going to allow that without tracking.

 

[dk001]

1. Legally, they do. If they provide an incomplete list, they’re accountable. That’s why it took so long for all the companies to get on board. They had to ensure all their internal processes could not only provide access to the data BUT also delete it easily upon request.


2. So I haven’t done it, but you should be able to tell what they’re doing with the info by way of what the info is. Like if it’s songs and apps you’ve purchased, that’s likely to ensure you can redownload them, stuff like that.

3. And really, if you’re already not in the mind to trust anything Apple provides, how would them “imparting details” help in any way? “I don’t want the information that they give me, I want them to give me the information they’re NOT giving me!”


4. Public information like wiki OR other data provides they’re contracted with? Siri does that. Public information like Google, Google’s not going to allow that without tracking.

I numbered your entries to help me keep them straight.

1. I was unable to find legally where they have to provide you with all the data they have. Still looking.

2. I can see what they say they have however it does not explain what they are doing with it. It has been a year+ so I am requesting it again. See what I find. This was a good reminder I should do this.

3. I trusted Apple till the CSAM fiasco. Since then based on what I found, I am having second thoughts.

4. I tried Siri with DDG a few months back and had the same issue. Siri would give me a list where GA would vocalize a reply. Tried Bing and the same results. While I did not specifically measure it, the end results from Siri appeared to me to be immaterial of the search engine used. I see it as Siri functionality - or a lack of. Tracking aside.

For those who are curious, I found data from Apple in two categories, what it has collected on me and a second of all data pertaining to me including what I have added/bought/stored/etc…

See attached photos.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

2. I can see what they say they have however it does not explain what they are doing with it. It has been a year+ so I am requesting it again. See what I find. This was a good reminder I should do this.

3. I trusted Apple till the CSAM fiasco. Since then based on what I found, I am having second thoughts.

Based on number 3, it really doesn’t matter what information they give you about number 2. Because, whatever they provide wouldn’t be enough to give you a sense of comfort.

4. I tried Siri with DDG a few months back and had the same issue. Siri would give me a list where GA would vocalize a reply. Tried Bing and the same results. While I did not specifically measure it, the end results from Siri appeared to me to be immaterial of the search engine used. I see it as Siri functionality - or a lack of. Tracking aside.

I’m not convinced that, when you change the Safari setting to a different search engine, that Siri uses that engine. I know that if I say “Search Bing for ‘x’”, “Search for ‘x’”, and “Search Duckduckgo for ‘x’”, I get three different results. Changing the Safari search engine preference to Duckduckgo and just saying “search for…” seems to bring up the same thing as when it was Google.

 

[dk001]

Based on number 3, it really doesn’t matter what information they give you about number 2. Because, whatever they provide wouldn’t be enough to give you a sense of comfort.


I’m not convinced that, when you change the Safari setting to a different search engine, that Siri uses that engine. I know that if I say “Search Bing for ‘x’”, “Search for ‘x’”, and “Search Duckduckgo for ‘x’”, I get three different results. Changing the Safari search engine preference to Duckduckgo and just saying “search for…” seems to bring up the same thing as when it was Google.

Have to check that out. Never tried that with Siri.

As for trust, yeah, Apple has a way to go to get back to where they were in my eyes..
Still, the newer reports may help with that.

 

[Fraserpatty]

I wonder if the CSAM business was what made Apple decide not to search your photos at all. That’s ridiculous. Just because people have problems with the implications that might come from finding child pornography doesn’t mean that it should not be able or allowed to match your pictures with your request or other objects with whatever you’re looking for or dates with whatever you’re looking for. If they feel it’s the same thing then they ought to allow users the choice of whether Siri gets to search your photos or not, in the same way that you can choose whether analytical data to be sent to them or not. You either get to be allowed to use Siri light or Siri helpful. Spell out what each would mean and the limitations and then let us choose. or they could even spell out a list of Siri functions and let you choose individually what you want it to be able to do. All I know is that I am sick of being denied the usefulness of Siri and her best because of criminals. Find another way to allow us functions and to not step on the toes of those who want more privacy.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I wonder if the CSAM business was what made Apple decide not to search your photos at all.

No, they’re searching photos (you can type in what you’re looking for and it finds it), it just isn’t connected to Siri anymore.

 

[dk001]

I wonder if the CSAM business was what made Apple decide not to search your photos at all. That’s ridiculous. Just because people have problems with the implications that might come from finding child pornography doesn’t mean that it should not be able or allowed to match your pictures with your request or other objects with whatever you’re looking for or dates with whatever you’re looking for. If they feel it’s the same thing then they ought to allow users the choice of whether Siri gets to search your photos or not, in the same way that you can choose whether analytical data to be sent to them or not. You either get to be allowed to use Siri light or Siri helpful. Spell out what each would mean and the limitations and then let us choose. or they could even spell out a list of Siri functions and let you choose individually what you want it to be able to do. All I know is that I am sick of being denied the usefulness of Siri and her best because of criminals. Find another way to allow us functions and to not step on the toes of those who want more privacy.

Other than person specific information, I fail to see just what this Siri - Privacy allusion is really doing. There is so much Siri could perform similar to GA and Alexa - can leave out the purchasing if desired by a person - that would really be beneficial.

At this point, and I may be in the minority, I feel this claim by Apple and the poor performance of Siri is just an excuse for many areas.

IMHO YOMVW

 

[Fraserpatty]

Well, very useful Siri would be my favorite thing on the iPad, but I’ve given up looking for it.